The SECRET Training
by Malaizjan DeJesus
Summary: 2nd in the SECRET Saga. Read as Shadowcat navigates through Season 1. Episode 26- It is the last of Season 1! Will Shadowcat make a difference with the team rescues the League? *OC Present*
1. Chapter 1

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

***So this is how this short series will work. I have Season 1 on DVD. So I can write inserts for episodes so show Shadowcat's progression in the series. I am working on getting Season 2 eps so I can continue this. This is part of my SECRET Saga and is the second fic in the series. These inserts can be short or long and this fic will have random updates. I will even write 5 year gap episodes to tie in the first and second seasons. So if you like it or if you have a question, post it in a review and I will do my best to answer it. I may even pause the AU seasons just to answer a question. So sit back, get those Christmas presents ready and let's go! ***

Episode 2: Fireworks

July 8th

7:16 EST

After Aqualad, Kid Flash and Robin helped Miss Martian and Superboy settle into the Cave at Mount Justice, Wally and Dick made a quick exit and used the Zeta Tubes to get to Illinois. Kid ran Robin over to Minnesota. It was just a bit past 7:00, which meant _she_ was home.

Their little secret that they were keeping from everyone, even Batman.

A quick knock on the door was the only warning they gave as a key was put in the lock and Dick and Wally walked in. "Peter?" said Dick, calling out to the Kyle butler.

Peter poked his head out from the kitchen. "Master Wally. Master Dick. She's in the training room. Dinner will be ready soon."

So Wally and Dick made their way to the training room, which was located in the back of the condo. The teen heroes opened the door to Stephanie kicking the punching back clear off the hook and it landed several feet away, broken. "Hi Dick! Hi Wally!" she said, a little breathless.

"Wow! Not bad!" said Wally.

Stephanie grinned. She flexed her arms to show off her muscles. There were small but they were there. "So, what happened to Roy? He came over huffing and puffing, threatening to blow down something. He was raging about the League lying to you all."

"Ah, yeah. They kinda did," Dick admitted.

"And you're not mad!?" Stephanie asked. "If it was me, I'd storm out with Roy too."

"Well, we'll tell you over dinner," Wally told her. "It's been a long day and I am HUNGRY!"

"You are always hungry! And why are you two so happy?" she asked the pair.

"We got a team," Dick answered. "A covert team. Spy stuff."

"Really!? With Kaldur!?" Stephanie asked, getting excited.

"Yeah, sis. And we got a few new members too."

"COOL Spy stuff, I can do! So, can I join!?" she asked.

"Uh…yeah but Batman's in charge of the team," Dick told her.

"Oh." Stephanie grew quiet quick.

"Miss Kyle, dinner!" Peter called.

"Set two more plates!" she called back. "Tell me what happened over dinner," she told her brothers.

"So…you guys went on your own mission? And Batman gave in to give you all your own place?! I'm so whelmed!" Stephanie bit into a rib.

"That's my word!" Dick cried, teasing her. "I'm the only one allowed to do that!"

"You're my brother, so I can do it too," she teased right back.

"I'm your brother too!" cried Wally in between bites of his steak.

"When I can eat as much as you, then we'll talk."

"HEY!"

"Do you three need anything else?" Peter asked as he cleaned the table of the empty plates.

"Join us, Peter! You're not just a butler, y'know!" Wally told the middle-aged man.

He tentatively sat in an empty chair.

Wally took another slab of ribs. "This food is the greatest!"

"Thank you, Master Wally."

"So, after we get settled into the Cave, you want a tour?" Dick asked her.

"Sure!" Stephanie then thought of something. "Wait-Mount Justice?"

"Yeah," Wally answered. "How do you know?"

"I've been reading Mom's diary. She knows about the Cave because Batman took her there a few times," Stephanie explained.

"Why would he-oooohhh." Wally got it.

"Ew. I am traumatized!" cried Dick.

Stephanie giggled. "IN fact, according to the dates, I was conceived there."

Dick put his hands over his ears. "NO more! PLEASE!"

Wally laughed at his best friend.

That was when her cell rang. She answered it. "Hey…um, no thanks. I have class in the morning…I do know it's Saturday! I am busy!" Stephanie hung up. "They are trying to ambush me, I know it."  
"Who?" asked Wally.

"Stacy Mc Krill and her click," Stephanie answered, munching on her rib bone.

"Are they that popular club you told me about?" Dick asked her.

"Yeah. I don't want their friendship." Her voice held a tone that signaled the end of the topic. "So…I'm surprised that Batman hasn't caught on yet."

"I've been covering our tracks," Dick replied, smirking.

"Normally, I'd say, let's tell him about me. But after considering that he didn't tell you where their real base is…Never mind." She looked at Wally and Dick pointedly.

The teen boys nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

***So this is how this short series will work. I have Season 1 on DVD. So I can write inserts for episodes so show Shadowcat's progression in the series. I am working on getting Season 2 eps so I can continue this. This is part of my SECRET Saga and is the second fic in the series. These inserts can be short or long and this fic will have random updates. I will even write 5 year gap episodes to tie in the first and second seasons. So if you like it or if you have a question, post it in a review and I will do my best to answer it. I may even pause the AU seasons just to answer a question. So sit back, get those Christmas presents ready and let's go! ***

EPISODE 3: WELCOME TO HAPPY HARBOR

July 18th

01:17 am

Stephanie heard the front door slam close and she jumped up, disturbing Isis, a cat that now belonged to her. She grabbed the whip on her nightstand and ran from her bedroom and down the hall, uncurling the whip as she went.

She was scared, heart thundering in her chest. Deathstroke had finally tracked her down and her brothers were not around. She had some training but nearly enough to handle an assassin hitman.

Shadowcat saw the intruder's shadow come closer and with a sudden burst of courage, she leaped out, snapping her whip at them. The person cried out and the coppery smell of blood filled the air. "STEPH!"

"Roy!?" She took a good look and realized she nailed her "brother" in the chest. "I'm so sorry!" She ran to get the first aid kit.

Speedy sat down on the leather couch, swearing as he held his chest. He couldn't believe that his "sister" nailed him like that. When it came to her mother's whip, her aim sucked.

Did she have to get right-now!?

Stephanie ran back in, kit in hand. "Take off your shirt."

Roy complied, even taking off his hat. "Why did you do that!?"

"I didn't know it was you. I thought it was Deathstroke."

"He would have shot you from 500 yards away," Roy told her.

"That's not comforting!" She had the peroxide-dipped q-tips in her hand when she turned to face him. Her eyes widened at his ripped body. She didn't know he was hiding such a fine body under those clothes. No wonder he hid it.

Roy sighed. He snatched those q-tips from her and treated the claw-like marks from the whip himself. "Got your full?" he asked, snarky.

"Sorry!" she blushed. "And what's your problem?"

"The Justice League gave Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad a team. A covert team."

"I know. Dick and Wally told me about it the other day," she told him.

"They asked me in." He jerked as he touched a sore part of the injury.

Shadowcat sighed. "You refused." She knew Roy well enough that he would feel like it was a step backwards. And from what Dick and Wally told her, he was probably feeling like he was being rejected from the League. It was becoming an obsession to him.

"Of course I did!" The Junior Justice League is a joke!"

"Dick and Wally are on that team! I'd watch your words!" she warned him. "

"I'd watch your aim!" he fired back.

"I suck with a whip, I know. I was aiming for your shoulder," she explained.

"Just great! You need to learn to use that thing!"

"Are you going to teach me?" she asked him.

"Hell no! I don't even know how to use it!" Roy sighed. "Now, what am I going to do?" he asked rhetorically.

"Train me," she answered. "Dick and Wally have started."

"Besides that," Roy grumbled. "I could go solo…"

"Not in that costume," Stephanie chaste him.

"What do you mean?"

"If you go around in that thing all by yourself, then people will still think you are Green Arrow are still a team. If you are really serious about being solo, then you need something different."

"Like a costume change."

"Yeah. Show off your muscles. And change your hero name too. If you're going solo, a new name would help."

Roy nodded, agreeing with his "sister". Having a sister wasn't a bad thing after all.


	3. Chapter 3

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

****So here's the next episode. I had someone PM me about how I came up with Shadowcat. Well, I have a lot of Catwoman material, including Batman Returns, the Catwoman movie and watching the old Batman tv series, along with Batman: The Animated Series and the tv series, Birds of Prey. I wanted Shadowcat to be different but similar. To be a normal girl whose parents just happen to be Batman and Catwoman. And she's not a confident cat. I hope I have that portrayed right. ****

**Episode 4: Drop Zone**

July 22

After the "success" of Santa Prisca…

Dick was at him at the Wayne Manor. It had been a long night and he was supposed to be sleeping. But he couldn't. He felt like Batman was disappointed in him about not being leader. It ate at him. He needed to talk to someone. And since Wally was already home out cold, there was only one other person he could call. He dialed a familiar number.

It was picked up on the second ring. "Hey Dick!"

"Stephy!" Her cheerful voice soothed him. "Hey, are you up for some talking?" he asked.

"Sure! I'm getting home from a concert anyway. I'm not tired."

"Who'd you see?" he asked.

"Maroon 5. Adam is so good-looking!" she told him.

"Gross! You can't be telling that to me! And besides, you need to listen to some real music!"

"Pass! Ipod's full," she teased. "So…what did you want to talk about?"

"We went on another mission. And we got a leader. It's Aqualad."

Stephanie heard the disappointment in her brother's voice. "Wow. I'd thought you'd be leader. Y'know, because you are the most experienced and all," she told her brother.

"Yeah. Me too." Robin then told her what happened on the mission. She didn't interrupt him and that was important, for she never did that with any of the brothers. Once he was done, she asked about Venom and if he saw what it did. Which Robin did. He told her about COBRA being there and how he went up against the leader.

"Dick, that was dangerous. For what you told me about him, you could only hope to hold your own against him on a good day. I wonder why he was really there. Didn't you say he doesn't like his hands in the sand, sort to speak?"

"Yeah. I did." She listened to him. Wow. She remembered everything he told her about all of the Gotham villains.

"Think Bane will get his factory back online anytime soon?" she asked.

"Steph…what are you thinking?"

"Well, maybe I should go there, keep an eye out for Bane."

"N-O!" he said to her. He would not put his own sister in jeopardy because she wanted to pit her skills against the powerhouse Bane. "Bane is no joke!"

"I know that!" she said, getting annoyed. "I was thinking you, me, Wally and Roy could go together. I'm not dumb enough to go alone!"

"Well, good luck with Roy. He's been ignoring my calls as well as Wally's."

"Not mine. I'll talk to him the next time he calls. I thought we were part of the Brotherhood. He can't get mad because you and Wally are on the team."

"Well, we could have used you there," Dick said to her. "The mission didn't go as planned."

"Not without Batman knowing. I need a really good cover story just to get on the teamm, which no one has come up with one yet."

"True. I wish I could tell the team about you. Kaldur would let you be on the team. But like you said, Batman will know."

"Has he caught on to you yet?"

"I told you, I cover my tracks. And Wally's."

"And he's the World's Greatest Detective. He's going to find out about me. I just know it."

"I promise, Steph. He won't know. Not at all." Dick knew promising such a thing was dumb but he wanted her calm and not to worry. He was the one that had to do that. At least Wally helped.

"And speaking of the resident buffet eater, I'm surprised Wally agreed to let Kaldur be leader without protesting. You know how he gets."

Dick laughed. "I do! And he did protest. Hey listen, it's getting late. I'll talk to you soon."

"Sure. But isn't this early for you?" she teased.

"Very funny, sis."

"Oh, before I forget, my homeschooling stuff is at the house. Can you come over and help Peter and me set it up?" she asked.

"Sure. Tomorrow afternoon. I'll have Wally come with me. And make lunch!"

"Don't I always?" asked Stephanie.

"Yeah. See you soon, sis. Don't go after Bane!"

"Now, would I do that?" she asked innocently.

"Yeah! Later, sis." He hung up.

"Yeah…later…" As soon as she hung up, the window that separated her from Peter came rolling down. "Yeah?"

"You miss having Master Dick and Master Wally around."

"I do, Peter. But with Roy acting like a jerk most of the time, I think maybe the two of them need this break from him."

"You didn't tell them about what Master Roy is doing with you?"

"Dick nearly had a heart attack when I suggested going to Santa Prisca and look after Bane."

"You will do no such thing, young lady. Your mother would be rolling in her grave if anything happened to you right now." Peter saw her eyes lower and he felt guilty. "I know you miss her."

"More than anyone knows…"


	4. Chapter 4

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

****So here's the next episode. I had someone PM me about how I came up with Shadowcat. Well, I have a lot of Catwoman material, including Batman Returns, Catwoman movie and watching the old Batman tv series. Along with Batman: The Animated Series and the tv series, Birds of Prey. I wanted Shadowcat to be different but similar. To be a normal girl whose parents are Batman and Catwoman. And she's not a confident cat. I hope I have that portrayed right. ****

**Episode 5: Schooled**

August 3rd

While the training began at Mount Justice…

Shadowcat made her way down the hall, sweat dripping off of her as she stood before her mother's old room. After putting in 3 hours on the balance beams, she was ready for some quiet reading. Sighing, she opened the double doors.

Roy, Dick and Wally helped her clear out the furniture so she could turn some of her mother's items into a museum or sorts. Wally helped her out the best, with his super speed, he cleared out her master bed and dressers in 10 seconds. She didn't sell the items but they were in a storage garage on the property. Near one window was a portrait of her mom and on the nightstand below it, her mother's urn. The rest of the room had marble pillars with various items on top of them, covered in clear glass that was vacuum-sealed.

Her mother's urn was a true work of art. Made of silver-colored marble, her face was the urn, carved in beauty. It was just small enough for her Catwoman mask to fit over it, which it did. It was a reminder of who she was and what she strove to be.

Stephanie sat in the plush saucer chair and picked up her mother's journal. She had spent the last six months combing through her mother's writing, to get a since of her mother's frame of mind. It helped with the hole within her heart and she felt closer to her. She turned to where she bookmarked her spot. She got comfortable and started to read the next entry.

_July 4__th__-5 months and 6 six days pregnant_

_I'm having one of my hormonal mood swings and cravings. I am sitting here with a gallon of butter pecan ice cream mixed with crunchy peanut butter. I was thinking about why I haven't called him yet. _

_Everything in me says I should. But I don't know if Joker is behind bars yet. I have to trust that he will be soon if he's not. I don't know if I'll be a good mother. I have been a free spirit for some time now. While leaving Gotham was the right thing to do, I don't know if I should keep her. I know it's a girl. The doctors told me it's a boy. Stupid machines. _

_I do not know thing: my thieving days are over. My child, my baby is worth that vow. And I will do my best to hold true to it…_

_I just need a name for her. I guess if my cat senses are wrong, I could name him Bruce, after her dad. I know it's a girl. Maybe Abigail…_

Stephanie placed her marker back in and closed the book. She closed her eyes. It was true. Her mother did her best to keep her vow. But the cat within Catwoman would not be totally denied. Once a year, Catwoman struck and it was always the best item at the time of the theft.

The rest of the time, Selina Kyle was a business woman. A mom. A devoted humanitarian for all cats in the world. And Stephanie developed her love for cats at an early age, thanks to her mom. The cat sanctuary was still on her property, and every cat her mother saved was still there. Safe and protected from the evil people who wanted to use them for their own twisted pleasures.

She was more than the daughter of Catwoman. She was Shadowcat, Catwoman's protégé and the last of the Catwoman line. But unlike the others, she was the first meta. Her mother was the 1st Catwoman to bear a child with the same gifts bestowed upon her by Isis, the Egyptian Mau that was the messenger of the Goddess. With an extra ability that was all hers.

To be a cat.

Large or small, Stephanie could do it. Domestic cats, she had full control over. Larger ones, not so much. So she rarely tried. Now, with only Isis as her guide, she had a long way to go before she could _ever_ take her mother's place as Catwoman.

But she was also part Bat. The Dark Knight of Gotham City was her dad. What a pair her parents were. She had read about her dad. About who he was. So yeah, she knew Bruce Wayne was her dad. Dick didn't say who but it didn't take long for a nerdy historian like herself to figure it out. Her parents were on opposite sides of the law, and yet her mother was hardly ever arrested, and spent even less time in jail.

That was the one thing that struck her as odd. She wanted to ask Batman about it. Did he have feelings for her? Was that why he warned her to leave Gotham?

The only way to know the answer was to join the team and show herself to the world.

But as long as Deathstroke was after the chip, which she no longer had, she could not endanger the team.

Nor her dad.

* * *

Shadowcat's senses needed some work, for if she noticed the vase with the fake flowers in it, she would have seen the smallest of blinking lights. She would have known that someone was watching her.

Far away, in the state of Indiana, at the Motel 12, Slade Wilson grinned at the young girl closed the book she was reading and closed her eyes. He watched her get up and leave the book on the chair and leave the room.

It was a matter of time now.

He wanted his chip back.

And the only way to get it was to kill Shadowcat.

***So now it looks like Deathstroke will make his move. But when and how? I'm not sure yet. I'm writing Homefront now. ***


	5. Chapter 5

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

****Okay. This will be my last updated fic until after Christmas. I have been busy getting ready and I may not get to a computer often now. So after this episode, the next 3-7, 8 and 9 will be an AU YJ Movie. More details at the bottom! ****

**Episode 6: Infiltrator**

After Red Arrow left the Cave, the former Speedy went to the local high school to pick up a certain cat, who was watching over Doctor Roquette, and to make sure no Shadows decided to come after her while she worked.

He entered the comp lab and Shadowcat stood up, short bo at the ready. She paused, seeing the angry look on her "brother's" face. "Red Arrow?"

"The _team_ has this. Let's go."

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders. "Well, good luck, Doctor Arquette."

"It's _RO_quette!"

"Whatever." Without another word, the two left the good doctor in the comp lab.

Roy escorted young Stephanie through the Zeta Tubes and back to Minnesota, back to her condo. Shadowcat pulled off her eye mask as soon as she was in her livingroom. "So…"

"He replaced me!"

Stephanie was taken back by his tone of voice. "Who?" she asked.

"Green Arrow! With some girl named Artemis! He couldn't wait for me to go solo!" He punched the closest wall, leaving a dent.

"Hey! Don't destroy my property, Roy!"

Peter had a laundry basket in his hands when he came to the living room area. He saw the dent in the wall. "Can I recommend the gym, Master Roy?"

"How could he replace me!?"

"I can't answer that. But there had to be a reason," Stephanie told him.

"Yeah, he couldn't wait for me to leave!"

"Roy! You know Green Arrow better than that! Would he really do something like that to you!" she demanded of him.

Roy calmed down somewhat as he said, "No."

"So…did Green Arrow say who she was?"

"His niece," Roy answered angrily.

"Want to see if she has a criminal record?" Stephanie asked, a wicked gleam in her eyes. Roy was really upset about this girl and while she doubted she find anything, she wanted to calm him down.

Roy blinked. Why didn't he think of that? "Go for it."

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Kyle Property…

Deathstroke cut the lines to the security camera that was stationed just on the inside of the property line. He grinned under his mask. He couldn't wait for his revenge to begin. Once he knew that the camera was disabled, he crossed over the property line

His revenge was about to begin.

****So, here's what will happen. I have to write this AU YJ Movie that will cover the next 3 episode. I know for sure, 2 of them. It will be called: AU YJ MOVIE: Deathstroke Verses Shadowcat: A Kitten's Fate. With her limited training, can Shadowcat survive the hardened mercenary assassin? Will Roy, Wally and Dick get to her in time? Well, you'll find out after Christmas! ***


	6. Chapter 6

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

AU YOUNG JUSTICE MOVIE:

DEATHSTROKE VERSES SHADOWCAT: A KITTEN'S FATE

SIX MONTHS AGO…

Three days after Catwoman died…

Stephanie Kyle sat in her mother's chair and turned it over, and over… and over again, a million times by her count. Her mother's vice-president, Lukas Sanders, was being sworn in as acting president of her mother's company until Stephanie was 18. She was so bored. She wanted to get this over with so she could go to the funeral home and get that over with.

Isis was lounging on the desk, one that the 12 year old girl had cleared off and all of her mother's personal stuff was in a sealed box. Peter was on his way up to get it.

She felt alone. Roy, Wally and Dick had been calling her, trying to keep her spirits up but she still felt alone. She wanted her dad. She really did. And she knew who he was.

Batman.

How was she going to get his attention?

_Well, there is your mother's method._

Stephanie glared at the Egyptian Mau. She shook her head no.

_Do not knock it until you try it,_ Isis told her.

N-O.

No way was she going to commit a crime!

The door handle to her mother's office door was turning.

Stephanie was on her feet in less than a second.

It opened.

It swung open.

Mr. Bruce Wayne was standing in the doorway. Behind him was Dick. And Lukas.

"Stephanie?" Lukas broke past and walked over to the girl with the redden eyes. "This is Mr. Wayne. He and your mother were friendly competitors but they, from time to time, team up on projects. He wanted to see you. Are you up to it?"

She shrugged her shoulders. She was afraid to open her mouth and bust out crying.

Lukas nodded and walked back over to the doorway. He and exchanged soft words and then the former V.P. was gone.

Bruce walked in gently, watching how brave this little girl was trying to be. He felt horrible for her. It took him two days to even begin grasping the notion that Selina wasn't coming back to him. He loved her. He knew she loved him too. He just wasn't expecting her to be gone so soon. He kneeled down to Stephanie's height, to not intimidate her with his height, and stared into her grey-blue eyes. "Stephanie?" He watched her look up at him. "I am sorry about your mother. She was a good woman." –Even though she stole all the time- "If you need anything, anything at all, you can always call me."

He motioned for Dick to come over. "This is my son, Dick. Dick, Stephanie."

She shyly waved her hand, then her fingers at him.

Richard flashed her a grin, which she returned with a blush. Pretending he didn't know her sucked. He wanted to pull his sister into his arms and let her cry. She needed it, with the way she was trying to stop herself from crying.

Bruce smiled, a polite smile that Stephanie knew was so fake and so practiced. "Stephanie, you can cry. You won't be judged. I lost my parents when I was younger than you."

Her eyes widened in shock. She saw how his eyes wavered, as if the pain still haunted him, even grown. "It-it never goes away…does it?"

"I wish I can tell you it will. But it won't. It gets easier. That I can promise you." His voice remained gentle, so he didn't spook the small girl before him.

That was when Stephanie lost it. She broke down and cried again.

How humiliating!

Bruce pulled her into his arms and held her close. "Cry, Stephanie. You'll feel better."

And she just that.

*FLASH FORWARD*

Six months later, after the events of Episode 6:Infiltrator…

"Hey Peter? I'm heading out to the cats." Stephanie grabbed her black hoodie and pulled it over her head.

"Don't stay out too long, Steph. The temps drop fast this time of year," he reminded her. "I'll lock down the condo when you get back."

Stephanie jogged over to Peter and hugged him. "I'll be back in an hour or two." She then left quickly.

The night air was slightly biting to Shadowcat's exposed skin so she pulled on black gloves as she trekked the two miles to the cat sanctuary.

Her mother started the sanctuary over a decade ago, when she got a call about a grown lioness being confiscated by the SPPD (Saint Paul PD) in a drug bust. Was she willing to take it in? Selina did without question.

That lioness was named Sylvie, and she was three years old at the time. Sylvie sensed who her mother was and went with her without much fuss. She was the first cat Selina saved. Four months later, Selina got a lion. His name was Roar. A five year old lion who was about to be butchered illegally before boarder patrol found the smugglers.

Roar took to Sylvia right away, and the two mated within a year. Roar loved to snuggle up to a three year old Stephanie and eventually, Sylvie did too.

After Roar came Moonlight, a two year old cheetah with a traveling circus that was mistreated. It took a while for Selina to gain the cheetah's trust but she did. At times, Moonlight, gets skittish. Even today.

Two years later, Cam came to them. He was a smuggled panther that became a pet and tamed. But he attacked his owner so Selina got custody while the courts (to this day) sort out where he would go. It took 6 months to calm Cam down enough to join the others. Then Selina took the next 6 months breaking up fights among the cats.

Once the dust settled, Slugger came. He was a former circus cat that was bought by a lame rapper called Austin Steiber, hoping to be seen as a cooler rapper than C.R. Ram J. But he wanted the cat gone because it was a bigger diva than him. Slugger loved rolling in the mud. All day, every day. He was very domesticated.

He's still the easiest cat to deal with.

A year later, Halfnote came to them, a smuggled white tiger cub that Stephanie raised from 2 months old. The first domesticated cub she's ever raised. Halfnote was a lover of music and would dance to music and would dance to music that she liked.

Selina would say that Halfnote was Stephanie's familiar.

Last year, the sanctuary grew.

Oscar, a smuggled snow leopard, was a cat used in fighting. Police broke up the fight ring-but Oscar has a lame left hind leg. It was damaged in a fight and was limp and useless. But he has a fighter's spirit. He whines when there is any talk of amputating that leg. He would roar, whine and growl in protest. A few weeks ago, he surprised Stephanie by limping to her when she delivered dinner to the cats. He put weight on it, even though it hurt him to do so.

A month ago, a snow leopard cub came to her. It was severely malnourished and far too young to be away from its mother. Under a vet's care and Stephanie's careful feedings, the cub called Icy gained 20lbs so far. But it had a long road ahead of it.

Before she knew it, she was at the sanctuary. The enclosure was secured with a thick chain-unsafe in most people's eyes. Stephanie punched in her number and went inside.

The cats pounced on the young girl.

Carefully, of course. After all, they weighted hundreds of pounds.

Slugger wanted her to run her fingers through his muddy fur. She only did it briefly, but he wanted more. So she did it again to appease him.

Stephanie greeted all of her able-walking cats before going to the center den to check on her new cats.

Oscar had his tongue hanging out, staring at her happily. Despite his violent upbringing, he was a gentle cat.

Shadowcat picked up Icy and sat next to Oscar's head. "How's my little fighter?" She looked dead at Oscar.

He purred at her, looking at her as if she was a sister and knew what he was saying. Well, thanks to her cat abilities, she did.

"I see. Now, Oscar. We need to talk about your leg."

He whined.

"We've been avoiding this for too long, you know."

The cat shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it.

"Oscar, now listen. You're leg isn't getting any better. You may have to lose it."

Oscar started at Stephanie hard. Nobody was cutting off his leg!

"Then it's rehab for you." She petted Icy as she talked to the stubborn male cat. "And don't argue. I want you whole again."

Oscar rubbed his head on her thigh. To show that he understood.

'_Little sister. You are in danger.'_

That was Halfnote.

Stephanie set Icy down. "Gotta go, Oscar. Keep Icy safe." The girl crawled out of the den. Halfnote was in high alert, crouched down and growling. _'Halfnote?'_

'_A man. An evil man. Do not leave.'_

"Easy, Halfnote." _'I can't have him near you all. Don't worry-I'll be careful.'_ She stood up and went to the gate. The other cats were becoming restless, even as she closed it behind her and locked it. The warning in hand, Stephanie began the hike back to the condo.

The temperature was dropping and the cold air bit into the girl's exposed skin. Now, if she was to take to the trees, she'd get warm and home faster. But she didn't want whoever it was following her to know that she knew and didn't want to reveal her secret.

She pulled out her cell when it vibrated. She saw who it was and answered it. "R-A?"

"Steph, there's a hit on you!" Roy cried. "Are you okay?"

"No. I need you-_all_ three of you," she said softly. "I'm being followed."

"Are you at the house?" he asked.

"No. I was checking on my cats."

"Get back to the house! We're on our way!" There was a panic in his voice.

That was when the gun shot rang out.

Stephanie screamed as the bullet ripped into her outer thigh and out, she dropped to one knee. "Red Arrow!" she cried into the phone.

"RUN! GET UP AND RUUUNNN!" Roy screamed into his cell.

Shadowcat forced herself to her feet and ran just as the second shot rang out. It hit a tree that she just ran by, the bark splintering instantly.

She ran.

"Damn it!" Roy pulled out his other cell. The one that only he, Dick and Wally had. He was too late-Deathstroke was already hunting for her. The solo archer was already grabbing his full quiver and bow. He ran for the nearest Zeta Tube.

* * *

Wally was washing his sticky hands and face. Eating all of the ice cream was messy. His phone went off as soon as he dried his hands. He pulled out his phone. It was a text from Roy. So he checked it out.

_-911! Deathstroke's after Shadowcat! He's shot her already. I'm heading there now! Meet me there!-_

Wally sped downstairs, told everyone a mission just came up and left before anyone could ask anything.

"Barry, what did he say?" his sister-in-law asked.

"Something about a mission." Barry knew something was up.

* * *

Dick was changing out of his sweaty clothes when his cell vibrated. He looked at it right away.

_-911! Deathstroke's after Shadowcat!-_

That was all he read. "NO!" Throwing on a new top, he grabbed his utility belt and jacket and threw open the bathroom window.

* * *

Stephanie staggered to an oak tree, and looked down at her wound. The bullet had gone through and it hurt badly. She turned her head to see if she was being followed.

No one was there.

So she turned her head forward.

A punch came at her head.

Stephanie ducked and moved away.

Deathstroke grinned. "Where's my chip?"

"Screw you!" she threw a punch but he caught it.

"Now, now, Shadowcat. I just want my chip back." He kicked at her, and she caught his leg, twisted it and elbowed his knee.

Slade buckled under the pain.

Stepahnie didn't stay put-she ran as fast as she could.

Deathstroke stood up after popping his knew back in place. "She's had some training. I should test the limits of that training."

Shadowcat ran at a pretty good clip, her cat vision keeping her from running into the trees. Her leg was throbbing, and even the cold could not stop the bleeding completely, and she felt tired too. So when the old barn came into view, she went for it. It was never used, but she knew she could hide in it- her brothers were coming to help her.

Stephanie squeezed between the unseen doors and walked into the barn, which was so dark. She used her other senses to find a place to hide.

There were some stalls off to the left. So she ran to the farthest one and huddled behind the door.

That was when the fatigue hit her.

Her eyes were falling close, which she snapped them open. She looked down at her bullet wound. It had stopped bleeding but she was shivering.

Stephanie assumed that this was what he wanted. Besides the stupid chip that she gave to Robin. She felt her phone vibrate and she pulled it out.

It was Dick.

_-We're coming. Where r u?-_

She texted _-The barn. Hurry. I feel so sleepy.-_

_-Don't sleep. We're close. Where were you shot?-_

_-Upper thigh. It really hurts.-_

Unbeknownst to her, Deathstroke had entered the barn. And the light from her cellphone showed him where she was in the darkness.

He grinned.

* * *

"Bruce?" Barry sped into the Bat Cave, hoping to see the Dark Knight. The cave was empty however, and Flash wasn't known as a patient man. "Hey Bat!" he yelled.

"Flash?" Bruce came out of the costume room, his cowl still down.

"Is there a mission? Wally ran out from Jay's party saying it was an emergency."

"Robin said the same, that Roy called him over." Already thinking, Bruce headed for the Bat computer. Over the last few nights, he heard that there was a hit being planned. Tonight, he planned to find out who it was and why. "I had asked Roy to keep an eye out for Lukas Sanders."

"The guy in charge of Kyle Industries?" Barry asked.

"Yes. He's in charge until Selina's daughter is 18."

Flash heard the catch in his voice. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "You miss her."

There was a heavy sigh. "More than I'll ever admit."

Flash knew what that meant. Him and green Arrow suspected that Bruce loved Selina. There was always something about her that was off to him, but Bruce rarely loved. So he never said anything negative . She ended up leaving years ago. Then she died from cancer six months ago.

However, Barry believed that Bruce knew what really killed the young Miss Kyle.

Bruce was checking the underground chat rooms.

Flash said nothing.

Dick taught Bruce how to navigate the underground rooms. Ever since Selina died, Dick had been monitoring those chat rooms. The first time he caught the teen, Dick told him he believed someone will put a hit on Stephanie. Bruce believed Robin had a crush.

Something caught the Dark Knight's eye.

"Bats?" Barry saw the stiffening back.

"Dick was right. There's a hit on Stephanie Kyle."

* * *

Stephanie moaned as she opened her eyes. Her right eye wouldn't open and it throbbed. She tried to move her hands but couldn't.

Panic set in.

Dick's voice kicked in her mind. _'Take in your surroundings.'_

Taking a calming breath, she focused on what she could see with her one eye.

She was in the large shed, by the looks of the interior. Only tables were stored in there and they still were. It was a metal shed, and it was cold. She was freezing cold. The howling wind was loud and deafening. Stephanie realized that she was on a table, tied to it with rope. And she was just in a bra and boy shorts. She was shivering.

Shadowcat turned to see where Deathstroke was.

Only he would do this to her.

He stood against one of the shed's poles, eyeing her through his mask. "So, you awaken." He walked toward her and she watched him through her cat eyes.

She saw his injuries, sensed the depth of them, the ones she inflicted before the blow to the head. He was trying to hide a limp. Stephanie couldn't help but be proud of herself.

"Where's my chip, little girl?"

"I don't have it," she said bravely. Was he really harping on that damn chip!?

Deathstroke didn't believe her. He kneeled down by the table and picked up a live battery cable. He held it up for her to see.

Shadowcat was scared. She knew what the cable was for. She saw enough movies. But she refused to show this assassin any fear. She stared him down.

"Such a brave kitty," he told her. He stabbed it into her bullet wound.

She screamed as her body arched off the table. Several hundred volts coursed through her body.

He lifted the cable from her wound, which began to bleed again. "Tell me where my chip is."

Stephanie was still panting, tears flowing from her eyes. The pain was overwhelming, her muscles spasm. She knew he asked a question but the pain was too much.

Slade waited with schooled patience for her to answer. He knew she wasn't fully trained, like Robin was. TO see real emotion to the pain he caused-it went a long way to ease his temper.

"I…"

Deathstroke leaned down to hear her words.

He got spit in his ear instead.

Livid, he slapped her hard in the face. Then thrust the live cable at her stomach, just above her navel.

A scream tore itself from her throat as she was electrocuted again.

* * *

Robin, Red Arrow and Kid Flash were searching for Stephanie around her parked RV when the boys heard her scream.

"Rob!" Wally yelled at him.

"I am," Dick responded, using his gauntlet computer to track her signal. The phone that she had had a GPS program in it, and it was on her and she was stationary. "The big shed. That's where she is."

"Wally, run over there but don't start fighting-"Roy never had the chance to finish.

Kid Flash took off.

"Let's go!" Robin took off after his best friend. Knowing Wally, he would try to take on Deathstroke. That was just the way he was.

Red Arrow was right behind him.

Back at Kyle Technologies…

The upper offices of the company were normally empty. But one member of the board of directors was still working.

Still waiting.

Alesandre Powers sat at his desk, staring at his phone, waiting on the call that would start his takeover of the company. He looked over the potential contracts that he would send out once he paid off enough board members to fire Lukas Sanders. After that, he'll be the CEO and the money would poor in.

But Stephanie Kyle was in his way.

Being the rightful CEO of her mother's company, she was all that stood in his way of paying off his investors.

The middle-aged man didn't notice the looming shape outside his window. Or that his window lock was useless against it.

The window opened soundlessly.

Powers' phone rang.

He hastily answered it. "Well?"

"She's as good as dead."

"That's not good enough! She needs to be dead! NOW!"

"You didn't pay me enough to end her fast."

Batman's eyes narrowed. He knew the voice well.

Deathstroke.

"How much more do you need?!" Alesandre demanded.

"1 billion dollars," was Slade's response.

"I…I don't have that kind of money!"

"Then she'll die at sunrise." The call was ended.

"Damn assassin!"

"A child…" Batman came out of the shadows. "She's just a child!" His anger fell from him in waves. She was Selina's child. How dare anyone try to kill her!

Alesandre stood up from his desk. "I don't know-"

Batman leaped onto his desk and the exec was trapped against Batman and the window behind him. "Why!?" he growled, demanding an answer.

"This company has no teeth. With me, this company will be a premier arms dealer. The kid's in my way."

Batman punched Alesandre in the face, which the window cracked behind him from the force of the punch. "This child is the rightful owner of this company."

"So?" Powers spat out some blood. "All's fair in love and war."

That was the wrong thing to say.

Bruce punched him again, and the glass window shattered under the force.

For two seconds, Powers fell back.

Batman caught the front of his business suit jacket. "Call off the hit. NOW!"

"I-I can't! He's been paid!" Alesandre shook with fear.

It didn't help that he peed his pants, either.

Disgusted, Batman dropped the man onto his carpeted floor. "If I'm too late, you won't see sunrise." The Dark Knight leaped out of the window.

* * *

Kid Flash picked himself up off the floor as ninja stars whistled toward him. He rolled away and scrambled to his feet as Deathstroke swiped at him with his katana blade.

It missed.

Shadowcat hung from her restraints, her body shaking from the cold and the volts of electricity that had coursed through her body. She lost her voice on the third time she screamed. But Deathstroke didn't care after that. He electrocuted her four more times.

Wally rushed in when he saw Stephanie go limp. His little sister was being tortured and he couldn't just watch. He had to stop it.

The teen speedster barely dodged the second swipe of Slade's katana, and he punched back, nailing the assassin in his face mask.

The snapping of bones echoed in the shed.

Wally broke his hand.

As Kid Flash cried out, Deathstroke sheathed his katana and pulled out his gun, aiming it at the teen hero.

An arrow sung in the air, nailing the gun and knocking it out of Slade's hand. Red Arrow stood in the doorway, a second arrow posed to be fired. "We know, Deathstoke. We have your chip."

"And you're going to pay for hurting her." Robin launched a bird-a-rang at Deathstroke, who jumped away to attack Red Arrow.

With a broken hand, Kid Flash raced over to Stephanie to free her. He saw her lack of clothes and blue lips.

Robin ran to help Red Arrow but he undid his cape and tossed it to Wally in a well-rehearsed move. The Boy Wonder saw the battery and the cable, and the burns on his sister's body. He was mad. No one hurts his sister and lived.

Deathstroke was able to knock Red Arrow away but Robin was on him. The two traded punches, kicks and quick moves that the two were known for without landing any of them.

Once Roy got his bearings, he worked with Robin to stop Slade once and for all.

Wally untied Stephanie's ankles and then her wrists, draping her in Robin's cape, wrapping her tightly before picking her up into his arms. He stayed away from the fight, wanting to help his friends. But Shadowcat shivered in his arms, even with Robin's cape around her, so he didn't try to jump in.

Deathstroke nailed Roy in the face with a punch to the cheek and as Red Arrow fell against the shed wall, Robin came at Slade with a spinning leg kick which the paid assassin grabbed. He threw Robin down but the Boy Wonder caught Deathstroke's side with his other leg and the villain went down.

Slade had enough. As Red Arrow came upon him with an arrow at the ready, the villain whipped out a hunting blade and stabbed Roy in the leg.

Crying out, Red Arrow went down.

Deathstroke ripped his knife free and charged Robin with the intent to hurt the young hero.

Robin realized what was going on. He dodged the knife and kept himself injury-free but now he had no choice but to fight alone.

Kid Flash rushed over to Red Arrow, Stephanie in tow. He let Roy throw an arm around his neck and the teen speedster lift Red Arrow up.

Slade withdrew a second gun and aimed it at the three. "ENOUGH! Surrender, Robin. Or the other sidekicks die."

Robin's hands shook as he could do nothing. He raised his hands in surrender.

"Now…bring the girl to me."

"No." Wally would not play this game with the assassin.

"I will shoot you three if you don't bring her here."

Stephanie started to come too. Through a blurry, semi-consciousness, Shadowcat saw the outline of Batman, a gun going off and a cry that sounded like Robin's.

Then the cold darkness too her again.

* * *

Batman was not happy.

Robin, Kid Flash and Red Arrow knew her.

They knew Stephanie.

This was the thing they were hiding from him. As Red Arrow laid out the tale, the Dark Knight was not impressed. Red Arrow, he understood would do something like this. Coming to her aid when crap hit the fan. But to involve Kid Flash and Robin? Robin got shot, even though it wasn't life-threatening!

Flash and Green Arrow were called in. Black Canary came along, which was good as they were at the Kyle Condo in Minnesota.

Her butler, Peter, was checking her over and promised to update her status as soon as it was possible.

"Red Arrow, this was rather irresponsible of you. Taking on Deathstroke would have killed you all."

That Bat Glare of his had Red Arrow biting his tongue.

"Please…don't be mad at them. They were only doing what my mom asked."

Everyone's head turned to see Stephanie, dressed in baggy shorts and a sweatshirt, leaning against the hallway entrance. She looked exhausted but made her way over to Batman, a limp so apparent in her walk.

"Miss Kyle! You are in no condition-" Peter started to say but Stephanie held her hand up to stop him.

"I need to say this. I know who my mom was. They were here with me when she died." Stephanie had to leave some things out, but she didn't want them to get into real trouble. Not on her account. "I called, because she said to call you, Batman. I got them instead. She asked them to train me, without you knowing. To teach me how to protect myself in case something like this was to happen. And I did hold my own-until I was shot. And I'm 12 years old, I don't know anything about being a hero. So they've been trying, whenever they had time. So please…don't be mad."

"You three should have told us!" Flash began.

"But-"

"No buts, Kid."

"Red Arrow, you could have told me."

"No way," Roy said defiantly.

Batman said nothing. He just stared at Robin, which was worse than saying anything at all.

"Please, you three can't be mad at them. They only did what my mom asked. It's over. I'm okay thanks to them." Stephanie walked over to Batman and took his hand into hers. "And to you."

Batman stared at the young girl who was Selina's spit image. He couldn't be mad, in truth. Selina wanted her daughter protected. What right did he have that the three just did as she asked? To train her in secret? "You're right. We can't be mad at them. Considering the circumstances, I understand."

"So you can't ground them. I still want them to train me. Please Batman?" She stared up at his cowl, her eyes shaking, asking.

He had no defense for that stare. It was just as bad as Dick's. "Alright. They still can. However, you need time to recover. I suggest you get some rest. And he only came because of a hit placed on you. By a member of your board."

Stephanie was shocked. "Who?"

"Powers," Batman answered.

"Oh, he's so fired. Like, way, way fired!"

"I am sure the police and Sanders will give you the details," Batman told her. "Now, off to bed with you."

"Uh, no." She then limped her way over to the teen boys. And hugged them. "Thanks, you guys. For everything." Stephanie then yawned.

Peter none too gently, guided her off to bed.

"Wow. She's got that Kyle charm," Green Arrow joked.

Batman glared at the archer.

"Batman, I think we should take our protégé's home. Let them rest."

"Kid Flash, Robin, you two have an extra training session with Black Canary."

The two groaned.

"Red Arrow-"

"Can't tell me what to do, Batman. I'm 18 and NOT part of the League. I'm staying here. Just in case."

The Dark Knight had to respect the former protégé of Green Arrow. At least someone was going to stay and make sure the young girl was safe. He didn't believe she told the whole truth but she knew who her mother was. And he did believe Selina asked the boys to train her. So she would be safe.

But there was more there, more than what she had said.

For now, he would not press. But if her training got in the way of Robin's and Kid Flash's missions, he would put a stop to it.

At least she didn't know their real names.

***So here it is. He knows about Stephanie! But not the full truth! Will he learn who she really is? Well, stay tuned to the rest of Season 1 to find out! And yes, it was a little rushed but I wanted to get this up before the blizzard runs through Ohio! So I better get going! Don't forget to review! ****


	7. Chapter 7

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

**Episode 10: Targets**

Roy was at Stephanie's again. he'd been crashing there for days and she didn't mind at all. He didn't want to deal with Green Arrow and his money. So yeah, he was dealing with Stephanie and her money. At least the two got in some serious training, which Stephanie soaked up like a sponge. But now, thanks to his intel, he had to stop the sabatoge of the conference.

"You shouldn't go, Roy." Stephanie grabbed her jean jacket. "At least, not alone."

"The Shadows are going to be at the conference. I can't let you get hurt." Roy closed his briefcase.

"That's crap! I can handle myself. I've already been shot! What are the Shadows going to do to me that Deathstroke hadn't done?"

Roy sighed in frustration. Ever since the fiasco with Deathstroke, Stephanie didn't want to be alone at home anymore. It was getting harder to hide the full truth from Batman. Since the Dark Knight knew of her now, he was letting Robin and KF go over and look after her. Since he was 18, he could do whatever he wanted. He needed to do this mission solo. No back up.

"I have to make sure you stay safe! Deathstroke might be there! Besides, I may have to move fast to save the day. You're not there yet." Which was crap and he knew it.

Stephanie stomped her feet, throwing a temper tantrum. That was not the answer she wanted.

"Stephanie! Stop that racket right now!" Roy yelled at her. He couldn't believe that she would do this at her age. "I don't trust North and South Rhelasia to _not_ attack me. I can't have you there!"

Shadowcat paused. "You need back-up! Pissing off the Shadows isn't a smart solo career move!"

"No, it's not. I will call if I need it. Hey, you stopped acting like you were 5," Roy teased.

She reached out to smack him in the head but Roy caught her arm. He grinned. She took out his legs and he fell hard onto his back. Stephanie got on top of his chest and grinned as her eyes changed. "Yeah. I am only 12, after all."

Roy heard the playful Stephanie in her voice. He smiled, thinking he was in her good graces. "So…can I use the jet?"

Her answer was to punch Roy in the shoulder.

* * *

"You called Aqualad!? **YOU CALLED AQUALAD!?"** Stephanie screamed in anger. She had been waiting, watching the t.v. for any updates. She saw the footage of Red Arrow and Aqualad fighting the Shadows. She was mad. Why did he call him?! She knew that Roy and Aqualad were close friends. But still, she'd been waiting on that call!

Roy ducked a vase being thrown at him. He did not think that Shadowcat would be this mad at him. He needed backup as he later realized when he was picking himself up out of the water. He needed someone that knew what he was doing and Shadowcat wasn't quite there yet. It turned out to be a good thing.

He didn't trust Lex Luthor at all!

What if he learned who Shadowcat was? Bats would be in danger, not to mention Deathstroke would find her. Roy didn't want to chance it.

He tried pleading his case. "You have to understand-"

"No I don't! Each of you has trained me _alone_. Not once have any of you trained with me together! After what happened with Deathstroke and Batman knowing about me, I thought you guys would give me a group training session or two. You guys just trained me harder. You all will not test me! This would have been the perfect ground to test me with! So, I suggest you three get together and train me! So _next time_, I'm not left behind due to a lack of training!" Stephanie turned on her heels and stormed to her bedroom, slamming her door closed.

Roy sighed.

She was right.

A twelve year old meta was right.

Her lack of training was the reason he didn't call on her. Not the fact that he thought Deathstroke would be there. Not the fact that she couldn't handle herself.

It was time to change that.

Red Arrow pulled out his cell.

***So here it is? Is Stephanie ever going to meet the rest of the team? What does Roy have in mind for his "little sister" ? Stay tuned to next year with the next episode! So have a great New Year everyone! ***


	8. Chapter 8

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

**Episode 11: Terrors **(during the Bel Reve takeover…)

_On the Kyle Property…10 feet below the surface…_

Dick came at Stephanie with a high kick, which the blonde dodged, only to get hit with a rubber arrow. She fell to the matted floor. She glared over her shoulder at Roy.

Roy, Dick and Wally were all training Stephanie-to make her good enough to join the team. The boys bickered the moment Roy walked through the front door. Wally and Dick were still upset about Roy's attitude about the team. She let them have an hour to vent. Then she wanted to train, which put an end to their arguing.

Being the daughter and protégé of Catwoman didn't prepare her for a real fight. But she was happy that her three 'brothers', the _Brotherhood_ if you will, actually took time out of their busy days to train her.

So train, they did.

Wally ran at her and she flipped over her body to stop. He turned as she landed and started to punch at her at a rapid pace.

Stephanie was blocking most of the blows. It was hard to keep up, but she was determined to show her 'brothers' that she could do this. She can go on missions with them. She could handle herself. Deathstroke may have rattled her but she wasn't going to let what he did stop her from being a hero.

Dick threw the rubber bird-a-rangs at her as Wally stopped his punching. One nailed her in the forehead. He watched as she stumbled back. While it was covered, there was a cut on her forehead. The blades broke through the thin layer of rubber coating it. He went at her.

She was disoriented. But Shadowcat's meta abilities kicked in. She sensed Dick was close to her so she grabbed his leg as he extended it at her head. She threw him back with it and caught Roy's bow as he tried to sweep her legs with it. She kicked him in the side, and grabbed Wally's arm as the speedster tried to punch her while she was occupied. She threw Wally and Roy, both landing in a heap.

Dick came at her with a series of kicks and punches. Shadowcat blocked everything but the Boy Wonder was nearly as quick as Kid Flash and he was getting hits on her. Only a few were landing, and they were glancing at best. He was giving his sister everything he had. She was taking it; he saw some of the visible bruises she was getting.

But he didn't let up.

And she wouldn't let up either.

Stephanie felt every hit, glancing as they were. She knew her brother wasn't going to let up. She had asked for this. The four of them training. Teaching her what they had learned the hard way.

It was great!

Shadowcat flipped over his head and kicked him low in the back, sending him forward. She smirked.

Robin turned as he fell, throwing the rubber-covered bird-a-rang as hard as he could. It was too hard, and he realized it as it smacked her in the stomach, throwing her back into the wall, the crack of bone audible and chilling. "Steph! Time, guys!"

Roy and Wally untangled themselves and the three slowly helped Stephanie sit up.

"Ouch…" came her small voice, arm snaking around her ribs.

"I'm so sorry!" Dick began but Shadowcat held up a hand to stop him.

"Do…do the bad guys apologize…after hurting…you?" she asked. She slowly got to her feet. "I think we need to call it for today. We've been at it for 4 hours."

"Dude, you're head's bleeding." Wally noticed, from his angle, the thin line of blood from the back of her head. Because of her blonde hair, it was quite noticeable.

"That explains the headache," she told them.

Roy wasted no time. He hauled her into his arms and made his way up the spiral carved staircase to the condo itself. It took 15 minutes but Red Arrow exited the kitchen closet and took her to her bedroom

Robin grabbed the first aid kit on their way to her room. Kid Flash raided the fridge first.

Dick and Roy were sitting on her frilly oval-shaped bed with her sitting up between them, kit open. Roy was bandaging her ribs while Dick tended to her bleeding head.

Wally waltz in with food and Stephanie was quick to respond. "Please, no food in here," she said quietly.

"Aw man! C'mon, I'm hungry!" he whined.

"Eat in the doorway," she told him.

He pouted. She wouldn't relent. He could tell by the way she glared at him.

So he was stuck at the doorway eating.

She winced as Dick unbraided her hair to check her injury. She shook her head to clear it and got dizzy. She fell back but Dick caught her. "I'm dizzy."

"No sudden movements. You might have a concussion," Roy said to her. He tied off the bandages on her ribs. "The first time we all train together and you get turned into a pin cushion."

Stephanie giggled. "I bruise easily. This is the most beat-up I've been in almost a year. I'm okay with it."

"You shouldn't be," Dick slipped out. His sister shouldn't want to be beat up on.

"As I recalled, I wanted this. I want to be on the team."

"And Batman be damned," Wally managed between ripping into the fried chicken.

"Well, kinda," Stephanie admitted.

"I had to give a cover story," Roy told Wally and Dick. "Batman cornered me."

"What did you say?" Shadowcat asked.

"Told him Sportsmaster tried to take the hit first. I stopped him. Dick and Waly helped. That was how you know us," Roy explained.

"And he bought it?" she asked.

"Yeah. For now, at least. You do know that in order for you to get on the team, you have to be one hell of a 12 year old," Roy said to her.

"In other words, a prodigy like Dick." Stephanie's face fell. She could never be like her brother. She didn't have his skills, nor that type of confidence. "I couldn't do that." Dick tapped a particular bruise and she winced.

"You don't have to be. You're fine just the way you are," Dick told her. "We don't have a lock picker on the team. We can use that as your strength. Everything else comes later."

Stephanie shook her head. Leave it to Dick to figure out how to make her feel better. "You know, I can heal faster if I change and nap."

"True. But we just beat you up," Wally said. Now that he wasn't eating, he walked into Stephanie's room. She was a huge Maroon 5 fan. Posters of the group were splattered on her walls and ceiling.

"Guilt? Really? Look, I asked you three not to hold back with me. Don't feel guilty because I got hurt."

"Fine with me," Roy said to the group. "You needed this."

"I think you're ready to be on the team."

Stephanie's eyes widened at her brother's announcement. "Really?"

"Yeah. We'll introduce you to Aqualad first," Roy told her.

Shadowcat squealed in delight.

"But first, change and heal up."

"Sure." Stephanie closed her eyes and she glowed for a few seconds before she shrunk down. Popping and contorting bones were heard as she grew fur and went dark, like Isis. She stretched carefully in her cat form, and purred as she took a nap in the middle of her bed.

"Aw, she looks so cute," Wally whispered.

'_You called me cute!? So help me Wally West, I will castrate you if you don't leave!'_

Wally gulped and left her room. Dick and Roy followed.

*So...is getting beat up on a good thing? Really? And now Stephanie has a chance to meet the team! Is Batman going to be okay with this when he realizes who she is? And what about Aqualad? Is he going to be mad about Shadowcat being kept a secret from him since he's part of their "Brotherhood" as well? Stay tuned to the next episode! And Happy New Year everyone! *


	9. Chapter 9

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

Episode 12: Homefront

Stephanie Kyle was excited.

Today was _the_ day.

Today she was going to meet Aqualad and the rest of the team. So she went through her closet twice for the perfect outfit. She couldn't find one so she spent $100,000 at the Mall of America for her outfit, including her magenta-colored sneakers that lit up with her every step.

She also ate a double German chocolate cake with rainbow sprinkles for lunch.

So sugar rush in tow, Peter drove the Diablo to the Zeta Tube teleporter, disguised as a broken photo booth located behind a clothing boutique in Coon Rapids. She waved at Peter before she ducked into the photo booth. She sat down on the seat, grinning.

A green scanning beam came out of the small screen to scan her. "Not recognized. State name and designation."

Stephanie took a deep breath to calm herself down and smiled. "Shadowcat. B-2-0."

That was right.

Robin had thought ahead. To make sure none of the adults in the League knew about it, there was plenty of room between the current team and her. In case they got more members.

"Recognized. Access granted."

"Cool." Then she was gone.

**At the same time as the Reds attacked the Cave…**

Oliver Queen watched Batman pull up phone records on his bat computer. The Emerald Archer had no idea why the Dark Knight had called him and Flash to his cave. Once he had gotten there, Batman deftly ignored him. He tried to find out what he wanted.

He was just ignored.

But Flash wasn't there yet, so there was hope.

"Does this have anything to do with Roy?" Green Arrow asked Bruce.

"In part."

Oliver sighed. Why wasn't he surprised?

A red blur raced by Green Arrow, knocking his hood off by the forceful gusts. "Sorry I'm late," Flash offered as he skidded to a halt.

Batman turned in his chair to stare down his two friends for several moments before speaking. "Roy, Dick and Wally are hiding something from us," he stated. "It has something to do with Stephanie Kyle."

Flash gave a blank stare. "Wally's keeping a secret!? Bats, you know how my nephew is!"

"I'm not surprised," Green Arrow commented. He saw how both Barry and Bruce looked at him. "I'm talking about Roy! He hasn't been using any of my resources since he quit being my partner."

"Maybe Stephanie is letting him use her money, out of gratitude for saving her," Flash offered.

"All three of them have been calling and receiving calls from her. Long before Deathstroke tried to kill her," Bruce told them. "I intend to find out how. They are not her personal bodyguards."

"Bruce, Dick deserves to have a life away from the mask," Oliver told him. "As long as she isn't a threat, you need to accept that he can be normal, have a normal life."

"Not at the expense of his life!"  
"Is this because she's Catwoman's daughter?" Flash asked the Dark Knight directly.

He didn't say anything.

"First off, she doesn't know their real names, right? So she must respect them for that. Maybe they're training her, to protect herself so she doesn't have to rely on a hero to come save her," Oliver scolded Bruce.

'_Like hell_,' he thought to himself.

"You know, I've wondered. Since she's Catwoman's kid, why doesn't she have all of those cat reflexes?" Flash asked.

"Selina wasn't born with her abilities. She was given those powers."

Oliver and Barry blinked.

"Batman! This is Red Arrow! Priority One! The Cave has been attacked! Then team is down! I need full League response!"

"Acknowledged."

"Crap!" said Green Arrow.

**5 Minutes Earlier…**

"Recognize: Shadowcat, B-2-0."

She still felt the tingling of the teleporter as she exited the Zeta Tube. She whistled at the sheer construction of the base. Her cave looked nothing like the team's!

Her cat sixth sense went crazy.

It was quiet.

Where was the team?

Stephanie's 'cat sight' kicked in, and she took in everything slowly, checking everything.

She saw the patches of scorched floor along with the puddles of water. In her mind, she was going through the list of villains. Mister Freeze and Firefly? No. Weren't they in Bel Reve?"

Taking cautious steps forward, Shadowcat moved her head to take in every detail, checking for the slightest of movements.

"Recognize: Red Arrow. B-0-7."

She pivots on her heels as she saw Roy materialize before her. "Red Arrow!"

"Where's the team?" he asked her as he pulled out his bow and loaded an arrow on it in seconds.

"Don't know. Two villains attacked is my guess. See the scorch marks and water puddles?" Stephanie pointed out.

"Stay behind me," he barked at her, moving to stand in front of her.

Shadowcat crossed her arms in annoyance. "I don't need protection. I can fight!"

"Please, just don't fight me on this," Red Arrow took several steps forward.

"I don't need a shield."

"Your agility and speed will be needed in case they are still here. I'm just a guy with a bow."

Shadowcat followed close behind him, whispering, "You're not just a guy with a bow."

Roy grinned. Ever since he helped save her from Deathstroke, the two were closer. "Thanks sis." He followed the puddles and scorch marks, Shadowcat right on his heels.

"It took a few minutes but the two found the hanger, where the puddles of water were larger and the scorched ground was more prominent.

Roy took his time, checking everything. He saw the patterns on the ground. "The team was held here. The soot marks show a cage of fire."

"Yeah. Two people were in it," Shadowcat confirmed.

"Most likely Aqualad and Miss Martian," Roy told her. Stephanie looked confused. "They're vulnerable to fire," he explained.

"Ah."

"The puddle here shows someone was here, most likely almost drowned."

Shadowcat kneeled next to it. "Robin. He almost drowned."

Roy's eyes took in her serious expression. She was certain that at some point, Robin had laid there. "I think the team left. Maybe to escape."

"I hope so." Stephanie stood up and noticed the stairs. She headed for them with purpose in her steps. "Where do the stairs go?"

"To the water," he told her.

She got to the edge and saw the whole team unconscious. "Robin! Kid Flash!" she cried, distressed. She leaped over the staircase.

"Steph!" Roy ran to the stairs and caught his sister twisting in mid-air like a cat would, flexing her body to land on her hands and knees. He stood there watching her twist her body just so.

She landed perfectly. On all fours. She stood up carefully and ran over to Wally, who was trapped in some mangled metal beams. She checked his pulse, which she found quickly.

Roy ran down the stairs as fast as he could without tripping all over himself. He checked Robin and Kaldur for a pulse first, before checking the girls and Superboy. "They're all okay." He hit the comm link in his ear. "Batman, this is Red Arrow! Priority One! The Cave had been attacked. The team is down! I need full League response!"

"Achknowledged," came the response.

The comm went dead.

"Roy?"

"Crap!" Roy face-palmed himself. "You've got to go, NOW!"

"But…I was suppose to be on the team," Stephanie whined.

"Please sis! The team is in no condition to handle you and the League! Go now!"

Shadowcat gave an exaggerated, frustrated sigh. She leaped from the bottom of the staircase to the top of it. "Why do I have to go?"

" 'Cause Batman doesn't know that Robin gave you full access to the Cave yet! He'll be livid! NOW GO!"

She ran straight for the Zeta Tube. She wanted to protest more until the world ended. But Roy was right-she couldn't be on the team right that moment.

She would have to try again later.

"Recognize: Shadowcat. B-2-0."

***So…what you guys think so far? Is she ever going to be on the team? And I thought Roy being the protective big brother was the way to go in this chapter. ***


	10. Chapter 10

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

Episode 13: Alpha Male

September 10th- During the beginning events in Northern India…

Robin grinned as Stephanie tried out the new ear pieces. The new comm links. He had been working on them for some time and with the fiasco of Red Tornado happening, Dick felt they needed back up.

And Shadowcat was that back up.

Also, within that time, Wally and Dick have been training her even harder, and they've been trying to find a way to introduce her to Kaldur first.

Thank goodness Roy got that covered. He told the Dark Knight that Sportsmaster took on the hit on Stephanie first. He stopped it. He introduced her to Robin and Kid Flash and the rest he knew.

Batman bought the story.

"So?"

"What's the range?" Shadowcat asked.

"The whole country."

"Really!?"

"Really."

"So…when can I meet Kaldur?" she asked.

"Soon." Dick was really getting annoyed over the fact that Stephanie was always asking when she was meeting Kaldur or the team. It was wearing on the three of them. He then noticed that she was getting absorbed into a book that looked arcane. "Uh, you can probably get that on your new tablet."

"No, I can't."

"Yes, you can sis!"

"No…I _can't!_" She glared at her brother. "This is the biographies of _all_ the Catwomen before my mom. I'm learning so much."

"Steph…reading a book isn't going to help you in a fight." Dick couldn't help but be curious. He started to read over her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked him after a few minutes of quiet.

"I'm asterous! Why?"

"You don't like quiet. And you barely survived the Reds. No way are you okay."

"Speak for yourself. You still have nightmares about Slade."

The two stared at each other; everything else was forgotten. They were like that for 10 minutes.

Dick blinked first. "I'm not okay," he admitted.

"Me either. Stay tonight, Dick. Neither of us would be alone."

"Okay. I'll asked Roy and Wally to come too. I'll have homework. And speaking of, don't you ever have homework?"

"I am a month ahead."

"Then we can play vid games."

"That's so chalant of you." Stephanie grinned.

Dick smiled back.

Around midnight…

The pullout bed was in use. Wally and Dick were sleeping on it. Roy was on the one arm chair that pulled out into a twin bed. Stephanie was on the other pullout couch. The 'Call of Duty 2' game was on pause, the PS3 blinking to conserve energy.

There was light snoring all around the living room and Peter shuffled his feet over to shut off the t.v. He saw Isis' form on the window seal. He walked over to the cat and pet it. "Look over them, Isis. They will need all the rest they can get. The Goddess favors these 4." With those whispered words, Peter sought out his own bed.

Alone, the Egyptian Mau watched the four with knowing eyes.

The Light was trying to rule over this world. And with all of the women who were once Catwoman gone, only one remained. A child.

And Selina's daughter would not fall to the Light.

***Yeah, so short! The next few will be. But I wanted to post something quick. **


	11. Chapter 11

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Seasons 1 & 2

By: Malaizjan De Jesus

**Episode 17: Disordered**

While the therapy sessions were going on…

Stephanie took out the last training robot, panting as she surveyed the damage that she did. The cat within was restless but satisfied for now.

Her leotard was soaked with sweat as well as her leggings and hair. The 12 year old former protégé of Catwoman made her way up the steps to her condo. She then had a quick shower, taking off her clothes as she went, much to the chagrin of Peter, who covered his eyes to try and give the girl some privacy. She then left the bathroom wrapped in a towel, warmed up some soup and stared at her mother's room as she ate.

There was so much going on. The Injustice League wasn't the ones running the show. She knew from the moment the group showed up on tv. Stephanie hoped her brothers didn't fall for that crap. She had read her mother's entire journal.

Only one dude would be willing to sneak around like this and right under the Justice League's noses.

_VANDEL SAVAGE._

All of these coincidences, everything that her brothers told her about, it was all random. That was how Savage worked.

Stephanie knew that her brothers didn't know about Savage. The League might know of him but they probably had no clue he was still around. As if an immortal could be ignored. None of the Catwomen before her ignored him. They stole from him often enough to know that if you flaunt your money, get ready to lose it!

She needed to step in. But how was she going to do it when her brothers were so protective of her?

There was a knock at the door.

She went to the door and opened it.

Dick was there with Wally behind him. Both of them looked really troubled.

"Guys?"

"C-can we come in?" Wally asked.

Sensing that something was wrong, like really, really wrong, she stepped aside, letting them in. She would shelve Vandel Savage for the moment. She knew something was really wrong. She closed the door behind them. "Guys?" she asked.

"Could we talk?" Dick spoke up. His voiced sounded so small, so lost.

"Yeah. We can." For now, Stephanie would listen, let her brothers tell her what was wrong.

Vandel Savage would wait. For she was about to be such a bother to the immortal…

And who knows…maybe she'd steal from him too.

***Yeah, I know, very short. But the next one had Stephanie and Wally going on a mission together and things don't go to plan. I am still writing it and it's long. Maybe not as long as the "movie" but pretty long. So stay tuned! ***


	12. Chapter 12

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Season 1

By: Malaizjan De Jesus

Author's Notes: So here's the good news- AU Season 1 is coming to an end. I will be rewriting Episode 26: Auld Acquaintance to fit in Shadowcat. That will take some time. So I am leaving you with this episode and hope you like it very much. Now I've had mostly Red Arrow teaming up with Stephanie. This time, Robin and Red Arrow are gone. That just leaves Wally…with Stephanie? This can't really end well, can it?

**Episode 24-Performance**

As Wally swallowed his bologna sandwich, his phone vibrated in his jeans pocket. The ringtone for "Daylight" blared to life as it sung out.

Wally fumbled with his phone in a desperate bid to answer it. He managed but the chorus was now stuck in his head. "Steph!" he hissed, realizing that it was his little "sister".

"Did you program Maroon 5 into my phone?!"

A giggle. "Maybe?" she answered. "Dick helped."

"Okay sis. FYI? I _hate_ Maroon 5!"

"Wally, is everything alright?" Kaldur'ahm stood in the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, a worried look on his face.

"Yeah. Fine. Uh, I just need to take this call." Wally hurriedly walked past him.

"I heard Maroon 5 from your phone. Are you a fan?"

Wally groaned as Stephanie laughed her head off. "Robin programmed them into my phone. Gotta go, Kaldur!" The speedster took off.

Running into his room, he heard Stephanie's laughter die down. "You are in so much trouble!"

"I need help tonight. I can't reach Dick or Roy."

"They got a mission overseas. But I'm available."

"Okay. There's a shipment of Cobra Venom leaving Saint Paul from a rival company, sub-owned by LexCorp. Thought maybe the "Brotherhood" would like some ammo on Luthor," she explained.

"Sweet! I'll head right over!" Grinning like a fool, Wally got his gear and zipped for the Zeta Tubes.

**SAINT PAUL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT…**

Two figures landed lightly on the rooftop of Santa Lo-Technologies. The security at this place was typical but for the Fastest Boy Alive and a Master Thief's Daughter, it was easy to get in.

Stephanie picked the rooftop's locked door and once that door was opened, her and Wally were inside. Wally took point, and hanging out with Robin so much, he picked up a few things. Like how to sneak around. He took the flights of stairs with ease, Stephanie right behind him. "Which floor?" he whispered.

"20th. Right here." Shadowcat kneeled down and broke the lock on the door as if it was mere paper.

Kid Flash pulled down his goggles, and set it for heat signatures. "Seven on the floor."

"Weapons?" she asked him quietly.

"Can't tell," Wally answered her.

Shadowcat opened the door slightly and poked her head through with care. Her eyes were now a cat's and she scanned the floor. "Seven of them. Lab's on the other side. We should go after the four coming in our direction," she whispered to him.

He had to strain to hear her soft voice but he nodded. Wally followed Stephanie as she silently walked onto the floor. His little sister made her way down the middle hallway, crouched low, ready to move at a moment's notice. He walked casually behind her, seeing that her training had kicked in. She moved quickly, and for a moment, he thought he was with Dick.

Stephanie stopped at the "T" in the hallway. She inched her head out to check the clearness of the area. She then rushed forward, made short work of the lock and both darted inside before the next sweep started.

Wally and Stephanie crawled over to the farthest computer terminal and Shadowcat pulled out a jump drive and plugged it in. Then she tapped her gauntlet and pulled out a cord to plug it in as well. "Just need a minute," she told him.

"No way Rob taught you how to hack!" Wally hissed.

"NO! But he programmed his hacking software into my gauntlet so I can hack too." She smiled as the terminal's files started to download.

"So…anything?" he asked after a few seconds.

"Nope." She watched the info come up as it was downloading.

"Um…anything?" he asked again less than a minute later.

"No…" she gave an aggravated sigh. Wally was starting to annoy her.

A minute passed. "So…?" he asked again.

"Peir 9. Tonight at 2 am. In…Cleveland?!" Stephanie checked the info again to be sure. "We need to leave fast if we want to get to that shipment." Shadowcat waited until all of the files were downloaded before disconnecting everything. "Let's go."

Wally and Stephanie slowly went to the door and the pre-teen pressed her ear onto the door to listen. She didn't hear anything so she slowly opened the door.

No one was out there at the moment.

The two left the lab the same way they got in.

* * *

"Check out the plane!" Wally exclaimed as he darted inside the private jet. He smelled the roast beef with mashed potatoes, corn and pecan pie as he mouth watered for a taste. "So, is it safe to-"

"Sure." Stephanie knocked on the pilot's door. "We're ready, Peter," she said through the door.

"He's flying us!?" Kid Flash cried.

The pilot's door opened.

Peter Jenkins looked like a real pilot in his uniform and hat. "Master Wally, Miss Stephanie. The fridge is stocked and we'll be in Cleveland in an hour." He closed the door behind him.

"SWEET!" Wally ran over to the small fridge and he opened the door. He started to pull out all the food.

Stephanie giggled as she sat down. She curled up in the plush chair and drifted off to sleep…

* * *

**Cleveland, OH**

**Burke Lakefront Docks**

**11:51pm**

Kid Flash and Shadowcat hid behind some cargo crates as several ski-masked thugs moved smaller crates onto a truck. Wally used his goggles to check out the contents of the crates. "Yup! Cobra Venom in every single crate. What's the plan?"

"I'll distract them," she whispered. Stephanie took off.

"Wai-! Arg! She's worse than Rob!"

Stephanie's eyes changed over as she perched on a very large crate above the thugs. She wore her mother's black Kelvar-threaded bodysuit and a gray utility belt that both Robin and Peter designed for her. She pulled out her mother's mask and smiled at it before placing it over her head and face.

Catwoman has returned.

"Hurry up! The truck leaves in five!" said the thugs' leader. The common thugs started to move faster.

"Awww…And I thought I could have some fun tonight."

The thugs dropped their cargo and pulled out their guns. They all fired on her.

Shadocat leaped off her perch and got to work. Moving so fluidly between thugs, Stephanie sent various kicks and punches at them, all the while, dodging the hail of bullets coming her way. She was nervous as some of those said bullets came close to hitting her but they didn't.

Kid Flash was rooted to his spot. He couldn't believe that Stephanie sounded so much like her mother. She was playing her mother so well. He had seen Catwoman once or twice with Flash when they would need to be in Gotham and they would run into the Dark Knight and her. Seeing how the older Catwoman moved and seeing how his 'sister' was moving now, it was similar.

Stephanie was enjoying herself, she took out everyone but one.

That thug, the one with the skull cap, brown turtleneck and black jeans, raised his gun at Shadowcat, who was openly stalking the scared man. "I ain't getting punked by you, Catwoman! Time to die!" He pulled the trigger-

Stephanie stood up and smiled at him.

-And the gun was clicking. No bullets left.

Stephanie raised her hand and her claws came out. She struck hard and slashed the thug in the chest. He went down.

"So…the great Catwoman has graced me with her presence."

Kid Flash's blood ran cold.

The immortal stepped from the inside of the truck, and landed on the pier. "I didn't think you were after chemicals. They aren't trinkets, you know."

"Well, I like to stick my claws into all sorts of things." Shadowcat stood there, hands on the hips, acting just like her mother.

Wally wanted to help. He dealt with Vandel Savage before but he didn't have the time to beat him-he was delivering a heart at the time. He stayed hidden, just in case she needed the backup.

"You've always given in to your inner cat. A woman like you could appreciate the offer being extended to you." His smile was genuine-well, as genuine as a genius immortal's go.

"I'm listening," Stephanie said to him in her mother's voice.

"I am willing to look past your previous transgressions-both yourself and your past Catwomen- against me personally, if you are willing to join me and my compatriots in a movement to rule this world."

Wally couldn't hide his shock. Catwoman screwed Vandel Savage? And not just Stephanie's mom-every Catwoman before her? Oh, this was a dangerous game they were playing!

"And your oh-so-secret Cobra Venom?' Stephanie asked.

"Would you like to go toe-to-toe with the League?" Vandel was ready for Catwoman. He knew she liked to toy with all men and he was no exception. He planned to play with her as well.

"Just one of them." A smile. Stephanie's heart was pounding though. Pretending to be her mother was way harder than she thought. But she was fooling this guy. So she could do this-fool every bad guy on the planet. _Maybe._

"So…" Vandel Savage pulled out his knife and used it as a toothpick. "What do you say?"

"I say, you're busted!" Kid Flash rushed right at Savage, knocking him off his feet. The immortal landed hard on the pier.

The stocked crates closest to Shadowcat started to topple and the girl leaped gracefully away as they came crashing down.

Savage got to his feet, anger in his eyes. "You will rue the day…"

As Wally ran at him, Vandel threw his knife, which missed as Kid Flash rammed him again. However, he was caught in a headlock and Savage locked it in.

Shadowcat sprung into action.

She leveled a kick at Savage's arm, freeing Kid flash. As Savage turned, she leaped up for a jump kick, nailing him in the face. He got thrown back into some other crates.

Stephanie kneeled next to Kid Flash. "Are you okay?" she asked him.

"You've sealed your fate, Catwoman!" Savage was on his feet and charging at them.

The split-second decision was made. Stephanie left Kid Flash's side and met Vandel Savage head-on.

Or so the villain thought.

Shadowcat vaulted over him and ran inside the warehouse. She heard him give chase. The pre-teen girl leaped for a steel i-beam and she swung around, catching him in the chest. Landing on her feet, she used the martial art skills she learned to keep Savage off-balanced until Wally got himself together.

Vandel blocked every kick and punch Catwoman threw at him. There were moves that she performed that he knew no previous reincarnation of Catwoman pulled off offensive moves like these. A snap kick to a shoulder sent him into some more crates. He was getting tired of landing on those wooden boxes.

Then it dawned on him. A knowing smile came to his face. He traced the claw-like scars on his face. "You sided with the angels, Catwoman? You alerted the League? I would have never pegged you a snitch."

"I am my own person, Savage," Stephanie said in her mother's voice.

"Or have you sided with Batman?" he asked her.

Stephanie was stumped. How would her mother have answered that?

"I am aware of your infatuation with the Dark Knight," he continued. "I know he told you to leave Gotham to avoid Joker's latest psychotic break."

"The clown and I have no business together!" She threw another punch at the immortal.

Vandel Savage grinned as he caught the punch. "You're not Catwoman." Then he proceeded to beat her up. Punches staggered her back. A rainbow kick (and how did he managed that!?) sent her into the metal support beam

Her back flared in pain as she bounced off the beam, and into a kick that snapped two ribs upon impact. Stephanie gasped and fell to her hands and knees.

Savage picked her up by the back of her neck. He lifted her off the ground "You're Catwoman's protégé. The rumors were true after all." He pulled her against him, placing her in a headlock like he did Kid Flash, his mouth close to her ear. "Your mentor is dead. You've taken her place. I must give you credit. You fooled me." He began to close off her air. "But now you die."

Stephanie saw spots in her vision as she struggled to get free.

Kid Flash kicked at Vandel Savage in the shoulder, freeing Shadowcat. As he fell, Wally used his super speed to punch the villain in rapid succession. "You-leave-her-_alone!"_ he yelled.

Savage threw his arms up to protect himself. He completely forgot about Kid Flash. That was something that was easily fixed. He caught a fast-moving punch and crushed Wally's hand.

Kid Flash screamed.

* * *

Meanwhile back at the Cave…

"Recognize: Robin: B-0-2. Superboy: B-0-4. Miss Martian. B-0-5. Artemis: B-0-6. Red Arrow: B-0-7."

The five members of Young Justice returned from their overseas mission. The five of them were greeted by Aqualad. "How was the mission?"

"Great!" M'gann exclaimed. She and Conner walked away, holding hands.

"It was good. Why?" Roy asked.

"Wally left some time ago and has not returned. I assumed he was with you," Kaldur explained.

Dick and Roy shared a look. "Do you remember anything before he left?" Dick asked.

"Maroon 5 was playing on his phone."

Roy held his breath.

"Is there something I should know?" he asked them two of them.

Dick's mouth was grim. He feared that Stephanie called for them and Wally was the only one there. Something must've happened for Wally to take off. Respecting that only the three of them knowing about her, he assumed he didn't tell Kaldur for that reason alone, even though his sister was driving him nuts about meeting Kaldur. They didn't have a choice. There was a chance that Wally and Stephanie were in trouble and he needed Kaldur's help. "Yeah," he finally answered. "We'll explain on the way." He, Roy and Kaldur headed for the Zeta Tubes. The Boy Wonder pulled out his phone and speed dialed someone.

"_Yhello?"_

"_Peter, it's me. Where did Wally go?"_

"_He and Miss Stephanie are in Cleveland, OH, at Burke Lakefront Docks. Um, Pier 9.I am still waiting for them to return."_

"We'll look for them, Peter." Dick hung up and went to the control panel for the Zeta Tubes.

"Who is Peter?" the team leader asked.

"A friend," Roy answered. "I promise, we'll explain."

The Zeta Tube powered up.

* * *

Shadowcat tried to take out Vandel Savage's knee but he stepped out of the way, throwing Kid Flash at her. She caught her "brother" and both fell against the ground.

"Did you children think you could beat me?" Savage asked them.

Moaning, Wally rolled off of Stephanie as the younger heroine crawled her way to her knees. Both of them were grabbed by their heads and forced to their feet.

"You two thought you could stop my operations here? Both of you are poor copies of your mentors." He began squeezing their heads.

Both weakly struggled in his grasp.

Wally knew he had to do something fast. Stephanie's "nail-claws" were out and she was trying to nail Savage with them. But the immortal's grip was strong and crushing. A sudden idea came to him.

He kicked up.

Vandel Savage dropped them, howling as he clutched himself in agony.

"RUN!" cried Kid Flash.

Shadowcat didn't waste any time. She ran passed Savage and the teen speedster was right behind her.

Even though he was suffering, Savage reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He flipped the switch on it.

_Beep, beep, beep…b-b-b-b-beep!_

The wooden crates outside the warehouse that contained the Cobra Venom exploded one after the other. Shrapnel and glass flew everywhere.

Shadowcat saw it before Kid Flash. Tapping into her inner cheetah, Stephanie ran up to the speedster, who had gotten ahead of her and pushed him aside just as the wooden stake-shaped shrapnel pierced her side just where Wally had been 2 seconds sooner. She bit her lip to prevent a cry from coming out.

Wally rolled a little too close to a burning crate before he stopped. His ears were ringing, he had minor cuts from flying debris. He picked himself up. The pier was on fire-and so was the truck!

The truck!

He saw Stephanie lying by the vehicle. So he raced over to her and saw a decent chunk of wood in her side and she was bleeding. Wally picked her up carefully and ran away from the truck. It exploded seconds later.

Kid Flash, now running on fumes, cleared the blast radius.

But Savage would not be denied.

He threw his knife.

Wally got hit from behind in the shoulder. The force of it knocked him down, Stephanie falling away from him.

Vandel Savage stalked Wally, forgetting about the Catwoman imposter. He planned to end this game with the children.

An arrow sailed through the air and nailed Savage, foam exploding for the hit to immobilize the immortal.

Red Arrow leaped from the warehouse roof, Robin following him.

From the water rose Aqualad, who was using his water bearers to put out the flames.

As Vandel Savage struggled to get free, the three teen heroes ran over to the downed teens. "Kid Flash?" Aqualad asked as he took a knee. His free hand was on the handle of the knife.

"M'fine,"came the exhausted voice of Kid Flash.

Kaldur pulled the knife free and tossed it away.

Robin shoved a protein bar into his best friend's hand as Red Arrow came over to the group with a semi-conscious Shadowcat in his arms. "Aqualad, we need to go."

"Then we will." Of course, Kaldur had questions. The girl in Roy's arms looked far younger but he had to get the team to safety. He pulled Wally into his arms and the tree teens took off.

Vandel Savage waited until the teen heroes were gone before he broke free. Wearing a knowing, calculating smiled, he retrieved his knife. He was careful not to allow a single drop of Kid Flash's blood to fall free from the weapon. "That was easier than I thought."

* * *

Stephanie slowly opened her eyes. She felt pretty warm, and lying on something soft. She turned her head slowly. Her side hurt but it was manageable. Her eyes widened in shock.

Aqualad was here.

"A-Aqualad?!" she whispered, sitting up slowly.

Everyone turned to see her. Wally rushed over first and hugged her. "Stephy!"

"So you're Shadowcat," Kaldur said to her. As soon as Wally let go, he took the pre-teen's hand.

"And you're Aqualad. I'm so glad I'm finally meeting you," she told him. She saw the look he was giving her. "So…you know everything?" she asked.

"I do. I am disappointed that I had not met you sooner." His eyes held hers intently. "You would have had 4 brothers looking after you instead of 3."

Stephanie broke eye contact. She reached up to her eye mask and pulled it off, showing him her blue eyes. "I know you have questions."

"You do realize that Roy, Wally and Robin have told me everything. Even Batman is aware of you. I do not understand why you did not join this team in the beginning. Was your fear of Batman knowing who you were the only reason you did not join us?"

Stephanie nodded, afraid that her voice will crack if she talked right then and there.

"I want to know _WHAT THE HELL_ you were thinking!?" Roy shouted. "You and Wally could've died!"

"Dude, you are so not talking to us like that!" Wally cried. "You and Rob went on a secret mission, leaving me behind! Steph needed us and I was the only one there! So don't tell at us!"

"Secret mission? I thought the mission was sanctioned by Batman." Aqualad stared at Robin in disbelief.

"Kaldur…it was a mission. A personal one. Sorry for lying to you. And Wally…things could have gone really bad tonight. You and Shadowcat were lucky," Robin said to them.

"I want to know why Vandel Savage would blow up his own shipment of Cobra Venom," Stephanie mused out loud.

"There is a strong possibility that he may strike again," Kaldur told the gathered group.

"We'll have to stay whelmed and wait for him to make the next move." Robin was messing with his computer gauntlet.

"Aqualad…"

The Atlantean hero stared at the young girl before him.

"My name is Stephanie. Sorry we kept me a secret for so long."

Kaldur chuckled. "It is alright. I am Kaldur. So…what now?"

"Peter will take us back to my house. I'm sure Wally's starving-"

"HEY!" cried Wally.

"-So he can make us something. You can come and join us…Kaldur."

"I accept your offer…Stephanie." Kaldur smiled at her.

"So…when can I meet the rest of the team?" she asked her other "brothers".

Roy groaned. "Not this again!"

* * *

The next morning…

"Recognize: Aqualad B-0-1; Robin B-0-2; Kid Flash B-0-3, Red Arrow B-0-7."

The first protégés exited the Zeta Tubes refreshed and read to take on the day. Kaldur seemed the happiest. And he couldn't help the smile he wore. He had a sister. A baby sister. He and Roy were 17 but she was only 12 years old. She was parentless and it saddened him that he never got to meet the late Catwoman. But if Stephanie grew up to use her skills for good, then she would break the cycle that plagued the Catwomen before her.

And as part of the "Brotherhood", he vowed to see it happen.

"Where have you four been?!" cried Black Canary as she stood at the doorway, arms folded and looking very pissed off.

"We…had a few free hours to hang out. So we did," Robin explained with a smile on his face.

"Well, since you 4 have so much free time, I want to see you all in the training room in 15 minutes." She then walked away to get ready.

"Aw man!" cried Wally as he sped off to get ready. Thank goodness that he healed fast.

As Aqualad head for the training room, his thoughts went back to Stephanie. He planned to talk to Batman about her.

It was time for Shadowcat to be on the team.

***Here it is everyone! Now the season finale of the AU Season 1 will take some time as I have to rewrite 'Auld Acquaintance' to fit Stephanie in. Then I have to start the 5 year gap. So I will break up this fic- Episode 26 will end this one and watch for the next story arc of this story! It will be called The SECRET Training: AU Season: 5 Year Gap! ***


	13. Chapter 13

The SECRET Training: Young Justice Season 1

By: Malaizjan De Jesus

Author's Notes: Here is the last episode of season 1. I hope you enjoyed the ride and the best part is-I didn't originally write this episode. So I will not take credit for it. Look for more notes at the bottom!

**Episode 26-Auld Acquaintance**

**Washington DC**

**December 31st**

The train came at the battered Red Arrow, blaring its horn in warning. Bloody nose and mouth, he knew he had only one chance to get away from Green Arrow, Flash and Aquaman.

The train passed by.

The three "starro" controlled heroes looked at the opened grate at the blackness of the area below.

Red Arrow stuck to the shadows of the sewer system as he stayed quiet. He waited for a few minutes to see if they would follow. When they didn't, he ran to where his weapons cache was in DC.

It took some time for Roy to get to his weapons. He didn't know if he would be found by any of the controlled League or not, so he had to tread carefully. When he left Watchtower, he made one call. Payphone only, to keep himself from being tracked. So if he did it right, his sister would be waiting for him.

He darted inside the brick building and went to the top floor. He opened the door. An arrow hit the doorframe just to the left of him. Red Arrow smiled. "Nice shot, sis."

"Nice bow. Even I'm a decent shot with it," Stephanie told him. "Why did you call me here?"

"The League is under Vandel Savage's control. I was the mole; I handed the League over to him."

Stephanie's eyes widened in shock and horror. It wasn't true; it couldn't be true. It was written all over her face.

That was when Roy faltered. "I-I didn't know…"

Shadowcat took a tissue from her jean's pocket and dabbed at his nose. "How?"

"I guess once everyone was affected with the 'starro' tech, I was freed," Roy tried to explain.

"Starro tech? I don't understand," she told her 'brother'.

"Then understand this; the League is after me. They almost had me in the subway. I need help to free them. I don't know if Dick, Wally and Kaldur are okay or not. So I need you."

Stephanie was nervous. The full scope of what was happening hit her. She was needed for something major. She didn't have the experience her 'brothers' had. How could she help Roy?! She didn't know. But she would help-she wasn't just her mother's daughter-she was Batman's too. "O-okay…so…?"

"Go change into costume. Then we'll see if anyone comes here. If not, then we'll head to your condo and make plans." Roy placed a hand on Stephanie's shoulder. "We'll make it, Steph."

She left out a nervous laugh. She tossed Roy her first aid kit, grabbed her messenger bag and darted into the bathroom.

* * *

The doorknob rattled.

Shadowcat, now in full costume, took to the shadows, bow loaded and ready. The plan was simple-if anyone showed up, Roy would ask a question. And if was wrong, they both fire an arrow and dart out the window. She was faster than him, so she would go last. They would meet up at the private airport and get a plan over to Minnesota. The tubes were too dangerous.

Red Arrow stood between the two windows, one of those windows already broken. He aimed an arrow at the door.

The said door was kicked in.

Aqualad took two steps inside, shocked as to how he was greeted. "I have not come to harm or apprehend you. But the team requires answers."

"Me first," Roy bit out. He kept his eyes trained on Kaldur. "Tell me something you haven't told anyone. Tell me who broke your heart."

Kaldur sighed. Talking about it never made it easier to deal with. "Tula. The girl I loved chose my best friend Garth over me while my best friend on the surface world aims an arrow at my chest."

Roy waited a second before lowering his bow and arrow.

"Kaldur!" Shadowcat put her bow away into her quiver and came out of the shadows. She ran to Kaldur and hugged him.

Aqualad looked at Red Arrow as his waist was hugged. "You involved her?" he asked.

"I needed help. She knows what's going on. She's ready."

Kaldur wasn't sure. She was less experienced than them. But with Red Tornado incapacitated, they needed all the help they could get. "Stephanie?"

"Yeah?" She looked up at the Atlantean leader.

"Come meet some of the team."

**On the Bioship…**

"We were told you were the mole. But we have reason to doubt-"

"Forget doubt," Roy interrupted Kaldur. "I was the mole."

The rest of the team's shocked look was all too apparent. "Batman and Tornado said…you were a Cadmus clone-like me," Superboy told the other clone.

"That explains it." Roy sighed. "I was a sleeper agent; preprogrammed to infiltrate the League. I think…I think Sportsmaster was my handler. He had a key phrase-Broken Arrow- that can shut me down, put me in a hypnotic state to steal secrets for his superiors or incorporate further programming. I think carried out all orders subconsciously. I think one of those orders was to focus suspicion on you three. I'm sorry."

"How did Batman discover this?" Kaldur asked.

"He didn't."

"Okay. Now…who is she!?" Artemis demanded, looking at Shadowcat.

"I'm sorry…But how is it you're no longer a slave?" M'gann asked.

"No 'starro' tech for starters. Just my Cadmus programming. Once I satisfied the final perimeters, my mind began to clear. I'm sure Savage planned to 'starro' me but he paused…to bask. So I escaped."

"I promise. I can clean any residual programming from your mind," Miss Martian told clone Roy.

'_Miss Martian…are you in range?'_ Robin thought out.

'_Here, Robin. Linking both teams and de-camouflaging.'_

'_Great. Because we __**really**__ need to compare notes.'_

Everyone exited the super cycle. Black Canary was placed in a corner, watched by Sphere and Wolf. Red Tornado's upper body was placed on the bridge so he wouldn't be left out.

Robin and Kid Flash's jaws dropped when they saw Stephanie sitting in a chair between Kaldur and Roy. "Shadowcat!?" they cried.

"KF! Rob!" Stephanie got up and hugged her 'brothers'.

"Okay. Look, who _is she_!?" Artemis tried again to ask.

"This is Shadowcat," Robin decided to explain. He was free from her hug but he had his arm around her shoulders. "She's part of our Brotherhood."

"Uh…Brotherhood?" Conner asked.

"Yeah. The Brotherhood of Protégés. We were the first 5," Wally told them.

"So…who's your mentor?" Zatanna asked.

Stephanie didn't think she needed to hide the truth. "It was Catwoman."

There was a collective gasp.

Red Tornado, as John Smith, stayed in his seat, watching the whole exchange. "Catwoman died 9 months ago."

"She did." Stephanie had tears in her eyes. She had a hand on her face mask, the one that her mother first wore. It was the one that covered her head and her eyes but left her mouth bare. "There should be no secrets here. Deathstroke killed her. That's how I met Red Arrow, Kid Flash and Robin." She pulled off her mask. "My name is Stephanie Kyle. My mother was Selina Kyle. And she was Catwoman."

Jaws dropped at that announcement.

"Hold up. Selina Kyle died of cancer," Rocket pointed out.

"That was the cover story," Robin spoke up. "But we need to pause here and compare notes."

"It'll be easier if I link everyone up," M'gann said.

Stephanie gave Robin a nervous look. "Um…"

Miss Martian smiled at her. "Don't worry; I won't intrude on your memories."

Shadowcat nodded, still unsure. But she still hung close to Robin.

Superboy noticed it. But he thought it was because Robin was thirteen and she didn't look older than 9. Then again, he wasn't even a year old technically.

It didn't take long to get everyone caught up on the day's events. M'gann even wiped out the residual programming from clone Roy's head. The teen Martian stayed away from Stephanie's memories, even though she was curious about the girl before her, respecting the girl's wishes.

So now everyone was up-to-date and there was a pause. A minute of silence. As if the teen group was thinking of a way out of this mess.

"The starro tech."

Everyone was startled when Stephanie spoke up.

"There has to be a way to reverse it. Because, let's face it-we _can't_ take on the entire Justice League. An all-out-fight will get us killed."

"Agreed." Aqualad took charge, grateful that it was Stephanie that started the planning process. There was a small bit of a leader in her. "If we can figure out how this starro tech was made, we can reverse it. Then we can rescue the League."

"R.T. Do you know?" Robin asked.

"To ensure control over someone, nano technology would be involved."

"Sorcery too. It would explain the low-level mystic force I was able to sense," Zatanna added.

"Arty, can you remember who else was there when we were at that warehouse?" Wally asked the blonde archer.

"The Brain. And Ivo. Klarion. Sportsmaster."

"The Brain?" Stephanie asked.

"A brain in a jar," Conner told her.

"Literally?"

"Yeah. Literally," Artemis said, a little snippy.

"Eeeewww!" Stephanie commented.

"He's French," Wally said.

"Why are the gross villains French," she murmured.

Conner heard her comment. "Why do you say that?"

"Huh?" Stephanie didn't realize right away what he meant. "You heard me?"

"Yeah."

The others stared at them, confused.

"She said, 'why are the gross villains French.'"

"Oh, duh! Superboy-Super_man_! You're like his younger brother or something, right?"

"Something like that." Conner couldn't help but see how different Shadowcat was from them. "We'll need Doctor Roquette. She did nano research," Miss Martian suggested, getting to the issue at hand.

"And Queen Mera," Kaldur added. "Outside of Doctor Fate, she is the most powerful sorceress. No offense, Zatanna."

"None taken."

"But even if we get their help, we need a place for them to work."

Robin sighed. "The Cave is too dangerous to be at."

"STAR Labs?" Red Tornado suggested. It was hard to tell whether or not he was asking.

"The League would think to look for us there," Wally reminded the group.

"How about a place only Batman knows about?" Shadowcat suggested.

"Your condo." Aqualad nodded, agreeing with the young girl.

"Say what!?" cried Rocket.

"Steph's condo has a lab with a lot of state of the art tech. Only Batman knows about it." Robin smiled. "It's perfect. Miss M, set a course for Coon Rapids, Minnesota."

"I better let Peter know we're coming. We can have breakfast." Stephanie pulled out her cell from her utility belt.

"Route your call through Sphere," Conner warned her.

"Thanks!"

**Coon Rapids, MN**

**09:16am**

The Biochip, still in camouflage mode, was settled in the back of the condo. The team, minus Black Canary, who was still being guarded, was inside Stephanie's home. Peter, who was introduced to the rest of the team, was eating breakfast while planning their next move.

"I will journey to Atlantis with Miss Martian while Robin, Zatanna and Rocket get Dr. Roquette."

"And what are we going to do?" Artemis asked Kaldur.

"Set up the lab. And look after Stephanie."

"I am not baby-sitting!" Conner growled.

"Dude! Keep your voice down!" Wally replied harshly. "Come help me set up her lab." Kid Flash grabbed Superboy's arm and headed for the closet in the kitchen. He opened the door, hit a switch out of view and the back of the closet flipped open to a flight of stairs. Wally pulled Conner after him.

"We must move quickly." The two smaller teams then left to get their targets.

As soon as the others left, Artemis looked to the cloned Roy for answers. The "mole" sighed. "Ask away."

"How did you guys meet her?" she asked.

"Catwoman and Shadowcat had a run-in with Deathstroke."

"Deathstroke the Terminator!?" Artemis asked. "She wasn't joking."

"The one and only. Catwoman got a chip off of him. It was going to be used in a satellite for mind control. He poisoned her. She had Steph call Batman for help. But he was on a mission. Robin intercepted the call and we met. The rest is history."

"So Deathstroke let it go?"

"I wish. He tried taking her out. Batman had to help us save her. So he's the only one that knows about her mom. But he has no clue about her."

"Being Shadowcat? Oh crap. He's going to be livid at you guys."

"He also doesn't know she was Catwoman's protégé," Roy added.

**Down in the underground lair…**

Wally turned on the lights, revealing a carved-out training area/gymnastics room, an overly-large computer covered in plastic and a high tech science lab behind a see-through wall of glass with double doors, complete with scanners and an operating table.

Conner was frozen in place. His eyes betrayed the fear rooted in his soul. There was no pod; it wasn't Cadmus. He knew that. But a lab was still a lab. It creep him out, even though it wasn't threatening.

"Supey?" Wally snapped his fingers in his face. "You good?"

"Yeah." Conner kept calm. There were no scientists down here. He was okay.

"Look, I know Stephy's…different. She's 12 and part-Cat so just give her time," Wally told Conner.

"She's 12!?" Where on earth did someone deem it okay to have a 12 year old fighting for the greater good!? Then again, there was Robin.

"Yeah. I know. A 12 year old meta."

Conner couldn't believe it. She was only 12!? A cute 12 year old but still… "Is her hair really that long?"

"Duh! You've seen it. Really!?" Then Wally paused. "Are you crushing on her?"

_"NO!"_

"Dude, she's a kid. And you have a girlfriend," Wally added.

"No! Wally, I didn't mean it like that!"

Kid Flash studied the cloned Kryptonian for a minute before he realized that he was over-reacting. Conner wouldn't dare cheat on Miss Martian-he was completely devoted to her. "Sorry."

"No. Don't be. You're like a big brother to her." And Superboy did get it.

But she was cute. For a 12 year old.

**10:16am**

Kaldur and Miss Martian were the first to return, with Mera in tow. The Queen of Atlantis followed her former student down to what was Catwoman's secret lair. Stephanie was training with Red Arrow on the bow. She was hitting the out edge of the red center.

Artemis noticed them first. "Kaldur! M'gann, you're back!"

"Artemis, Red Arrow, Superboy, Shadowcat and Kid Flash, this is Queen Mera of Atlantis," Aqualad announced.

"Just call me Mera," the Queen said softly.

Shadowcat became suddenly shy. A queen! A true living queen was in her home! A giddy feeling enveloped her, and it was a good feeling too. She just hoped she didn't embarrass herself.

"So where is this "starro" tech?" she asked.

"In the lab." Kaldur led Queen Mera over to the lab area.

**11:16am**

Stephanie had to get out of costume for her online school. She threw on her pajamas and turned on her webcam so her teacher could see her.

She just made it. Roll call had begun. Online schooling sucked when the world was at stake!

The others were in the living room. She promised to show them her cats after class. Zatanna seemed anxious to see them, though the young girl didn't know why.

"So…she goes to class on a computer?" Conner asked. If he had known that such a thing existed, he'd never have gone to Happy Harbor High.

"It's called home schooling. She does the work at her pace with no worries," Wally explained. He was eating some leftover meatloaf.

"But there is no social interaction," Kaldur pointed out.

"She was bullied," Dick pointed out to them. "And she couldn't hide her inner cat." He saw the confused looks so he continued. "Wally, Roy and I have seen it. Her eyes change and when she too emotional, her cat is triggered unintentionally. So, she does home schooling until she can gain total control of herself."

"Wow. And I thought I had issues with my powers," Rocket commented.

"And with Catwoman dead, there's no one to help her get control," M'gann mused.

"That is true, Miss Martian." Peter came from the kitchen with a tray of cold cuts and cheeses to hold the teens over until lunch. "But Master Roy, Master Wally and Master Robin have been training her. Her control is better."

"And her whip-wielding issue?" Roy perked up. The cloned archer had been very quiet up until that moment. Most likely brooding.

"A work in progress," Peter answered.

"She can't wield a whip?" Rocket asked, shocked. "I thought Catwoman used a whip?"

"She did. But Steph was never taught. I got the cuts to prove she needs to learn." Roy let a smile play on his face. It seemed like a lifetime ago when that happened.

"Perhaps I can help with that," Kaldur suggested. "She will be a great asset when we save the League."

"Hold up! I don't remember agreeing on her coming along," Artemis interjected.

"We need the help. We're hiding out at her house. It's her lab! WE can't just bench her now!" Wally cried.

"She's not experienced!" Zatanna added.

"There's no time like the present," Robin countered.

"You're going along with it!?" Conner cried.

"She cannot be penalized due to her lack of experience," Kaldur countered.

"She's 12!" Artemis added.

"Her age shouldn't matter!" Wally was getting mad at the discussion. "Rob's 13! How is that any different!?"

"He was trained by Batman!" Conner pointed out.

M'gann was torn. Both arguments were valid. She didn't want to choose sides. She felt Conner take her hand. _'Then don't.'_ he thought to her. She only wished it was that easy.

"Young heroes…if you need reassurances, ask me." Peter came around with mugs of hot cocoa for them. He sat next to Aqualad. "I have been in the Kyles' employment since before Stephanie was born."

"What makes her so special that they felt the need to keep her a secret?" Rocket asked bluntly, glaring at the four first protégés.

"Shadowcat was born a meta-human. The first Catwoman to be born with all the abilities given to her mother later in life." Peter made sure he had their attention before he continued. "Stephanie's affinity for cats at 2 years old made us realize that she was a meta. She was more agile than most toddlers her age. Not to mention she would hiss at the kids she didn't like just like a cat."

"How…how does someone become Catwoman?" Miss Martian asked.

That was a question that most often ask. And Peter knew more than what he would tell them. But some things had to kept a secret. "It is different for each woman but from what I learned, each woman is tested to see her worthiness of the Goddess' gift. Selina was proven to be worthy and when she died, the Goddess gave Selina a second chance at life."

"So…Stephanie's mom…died?" Zatanna asked.

"You must understand. This happened before Stephanie was born. Selina became wild, just like all wild cats. It took years for Selina to find control and keep it. I'm sure Robin can confirm that."

"Yeah. I've heard the stories of Batman and Catwoman going toe-to-toe," Robin admitted.

"When Catwoman left Gotham, she went on a 3 month good-time spree, being free of Batman and all. She got pregnant during that time. Almost 5 months later, Stephanie was born."

Robin grinned. He knew the truth about his sister. Of course, Peter was protecting the two of them. After all, the team wasn't ready to learn that his sister was Batman's daughter. Peter had proven over and over again that he can be trusted.

"Selina made the choice to go straight, start a company and be a force for good. Young Stephanie took Judo classes and later kickboxing to ease her cat half. When she was 11 ½ , Selina made a conscious choice to allow her daughter to become her protégé. Taught her all of her 'thief' skills and then some. She taught her to harness her inner cat. Shortly after her 12th birthday, her mother died, and now Stephanie struggles to maintain the balance with her inner cat. She may not have much field experience, but her cat side can help you all. All I ask is to give her a chance." Peter stood up. "You know, ever since Robin and Kid Flash told her about the team, she's worked hard for a chance to be on your team. All she truly needs is a chance to prove she deserves a spot." He then left the teens start lunch.

"I kinda feel guilty," Rocket said, breaking the silence.

"Me too," Zatanna agreed.

"Hey guys, I am _free_ for the rest of the day!" Stephanie stood at the edge of the hallway in jeans, a wool sweater with a blue scarf and gloves. "Who wants to see some cats?"

**1:16pm**

Snow-covered teenagers piled into the condo, shaking off the snow that started to come down on their way back from Shadowcat's Cat Sanctuary. The team saw that young Stephanie knew her cats. Robin, Kid Flash and Red Arrow knew and met all of her cats. The others were nervous and she knew it. All but Cam were friendly. Cam was still skittish and stayed away but the others were on their best behavior. Well…as well as wild cats could.

Zatanna took to Oscar and his lame leg. It broke her heart when she heard his story. She wanted to heal his leg but none of her spells were powerful enough to help.

Only Doctor Fate could help.

Peter had lunch ready for them.

So the team ate soup with crackers and leftover roast beef, talking about the cats.

Kaldur had many questions for Stephanie. But he was happy that the rest of the team was taking to her. "You said Halfnote was your Familiar. So…what is a Familiar?"

"A Familiar is a guide of sorts. An anchor if you will," Shadowcat explained.

"Like Klarion and his cat," Wally pointed out.

"Exactly. Halfnote was the one that showed me that I was different. She was a month old when I first met her. I heard her thoughts. And as I realized in time, she heard mine too. We are inseparable. The death of one means the death of the other." Stephanie bit into her roast beef. "And she's the only one allowed in the house full time. I plan to get Icy in here too at some point."

"Hey!"

Everyone looked over at the kitchen closet. Doctor Roquette was staring at them. "It's done. We did it."

**1:46pm**

A struggling Black Canary glared everyone down as she saw Kaldur approach her. He held the 'curro' tech, as it was dubbed by Wally, in his hand. As per the doc's instructions, he placed the item on the side of her neck, which was absorbed into her skin.

"How long until we know if it works?" cloned Roy asked.

"An hour. If it does, we can duplicate them," Queen Mera replied.

"Then we must plan," Kaldur said. "Train. Prepare." He eyed Stephanie. "All of us will be needed to save the League, our mentors."

'_My dad,'_ both Dick and Stephanie thought to themselves quietly.

"So I suggest we prepare now."

"If this works, then I can return to my body and I will assist the team," Red Tornado announced.

"Aqualad, a word." The Queen of Atlantis nodded a t Kaldur and he returned the nod.

Shadowcat snuck away. She needed the comfort of her mother's shrine to calm the sudden butterflies in her stomach.

**3:16pm**

"So, she's in there?" Zatanna asked as she and Robin stood before the double doors that once led to Catwoman's room.

"Yep. When Steph needs to be alone, she goes in for quiet time." He had a hand on the doorknob. Wally and Roy-_cloned Roy_- had been in once each. He's been inside lots of times. Being real siblings-him adopted and her being Bruce's kid-they understood the other well enough. That kind of sibling relationship would only get stronger as they got older. "Why don't you head back downstairs-this could take a while," Robin warned.

Zatanna smiled and squeezed his hand before letting go and headed back downstairs.

The Boy Wonder waited until the coast was clear before he used his signature knock on the double doors. A faint "come in" came to his ears before he darted inside. He found Stephanie standing before her mother's urn, her mask in her hand. "Peter's got us covered. We can talk," he told her.

There was a heavy sigh. "Dick, what if I mess this up for the team?"

"Sis, you won't. You're ready for this team," Dick assured her. He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What if dad gets hurt-like seriously hurt?" she asked her brother.

"That's why I'm going to make sure I'm the one that fights him. So he doesn't get seriously injured." Dick paused, waiting on Stephanie to respond.

She didn't.

Dick moved to see her face. There were tears in her eyes. He hugged her to him from the side, both arms wrapped around her. He felt her tears fall, so he stayed quiet. Sometimes, being an older brother sucked. But right now, it didn't. He had a major secret that he had to keep from the team. He didn't have a choice. Stephanie's life would be affected if anyone knew that they were sibs. That Batman had a kid. The Gotham villains would have a field day with that one. So he and Peter would do their best to protect her until she was ready to tell Batman herself.

"Dick?" she said after a few minutes.

"Yeah Steph?"

"Thanks." She looked at her brother's shielded eyes and smiled.

"Hey, big brother and all." Dick too her mask from her hand and pulled it over her head and eyes. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Both of them left the room to rejoin the team.

* * *

"Wait-let _me_ get this straight. Savage had control of me!?" Dinah cried.

It did work. Right now, Red Tornado's body was in the process of being cured. And thanks to the genius of Doctor Roquette, they could not be re-infected once they had the "curro" tech.

"It is true, Black Canary. I was also a victim. The rest of the Justice League is still under his control. We must free them." Red Tornado's upper body (as John Smith) was next to his "hero" body, waiting to be back inside it.

"So this "curro" tech-?" she had asked.

"It is being replicated as we speak. We have yet to come up with a plan to sneak aboard Watchtower."

"We'll need a distraction." Robin and Shadowcat came down the carved staircase and toward the gathered heroes. "If Savage is kept busy, then the team can sneak inside."

"Who is _that!?"_ Black Canary asked, looking at Stephanie.

"This is Shadowcat. She opened up her home to us," Kaldur explained.

"She's the reason Robin and Kid Flash were disappearing all the time," Artemis added.

"We were training her," Wally admitted.

Dinah crossed her arms, sizing up the girl next to Robin. The mask was a dead giveaway, she'd seen it before. So the rumors she had heard were true; Catwoman had a protégé of her own. "Are you the reason Roy hasn't been around?"

"Yeah. He stayed with me from time to time," Stephanie admitted in her quiet voice.

"Catwoman died months ago. I saw Batman update her file."

"Yeah."

"So…Catwoman wasn't just a jewel thief."

"No. She left that life long ago," Stephanie told the blonde heroine. She felt uneasy with Black Canary for some reason.

Dinah was good at reading people. She could tell that this girl was green. But she helped the team when they really needed it. Perhaps Catwoman had redeemed herself after all. "I see. Any ideas?"

"One…maybe. Red Tornado, could you mask the team from all sensors when we get to Watchtower?" Shadowcat had to hide the excitement in her voice over seeing the heroes' home base.

"Yes. I will need 3 seconds to integrate myself into Watchtower systems to do this."

"Which means you will have to return to the tower before us." Kaldur began to think.

"Me, Canary and Tornado will provide the distraction." The cloned Roy told the team. He held up his hand to stall protests. "This is going to be our only shot of getting you guys in the tower without Savage knowing. We'll distract him."

"Then we need to know who's going up against whom." Zatanna looked nervous at her own suggestion.

"We will do team-ups," Kaldur told the group. If it was one-on-one, we will not get far."

"Shadowcat and I will take on Batman," Robin announced.

Stephanie looked about ready to faint at that announcement.

"Superboy, can you take Superman?" the cloned Roy asked.

"Yeah." Conner really believed he could. He wished he still had a shield left. Having only ½ of Superman's abilities was going to be rough. But he would manage. He didn't have to kill the man or anything.

"Then we need a plan B. Shadowcat and I will go the Bat Cave for plan B. You guys work out the details." Robin took his sister by the hand and back up to the steps before anyone could stop them.

"I can't believe he's taking her to the Bat Cave," Wally whispered tightly.

"Why does she get to see the Bat Cave before us?" Zatanna demanded.

"She's special," Roy said to stop the "suspect" comments.

"Special? What are you three hiding?" Black Canary demanded.

"Nothing," Wally said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Now I know you're hiding something."

* * *

"Recognize: Robin B-0-2. Shadowcat B-2-0."

Both heroes stepped out of the Zeta Tube and into the Bat Cave. Stephanie stayed close to Dick as the two stepped out of the alcove. "Don't worry. This place only looks scary." He took her hand and led her to a vault in a far section of the cave.

"This place is so massive," Shadowcat commented. It was also an understatement. It overwhelmed her. This was her other half of her legacy. This was so much more than her. "How long did it take you guys to build this place?"

"This was here way before I came along," Dick told her. He took off his glove to press against the scanner. It accepted his ID and slid open to reveal a metal trunk. He went to it, opened it and pulled out a green glowing rock. He placed it in a lead-lined pocket of his belt.

"Was that…"

"It is." Dick went to the huge Bat Computer and sat in the chair.

"Wouldn't that hurt Superboy too?" she asked.

"That's why it's plan B. Give me your gauntlet."

Stephanie did as she was told. She watched her brother hook up her gauntlet via USB to the Bat Computer. "What are you doing?"

"Updating your comp. Batman updates the info in here every other week. So you have every right to this info too. You're family."

"MASTER DICK!?" Alfred Pennyworth came down the staircase and saw the two young heroes at the computer. When Shadowcat turned , he tried to cover himself. "Uh, I mean-"

"It's cool. She knows. That's Agent A." Dick pointed at Alfred.

"Uh, hi?" she said softly. She didn't know what else to say.

"Miss…Miss Selina?" he asked.

"No. She died, Agent A." Stephanie pulled off her mask.

All of the color drained from Alfred's face. "You…you look just like her." He felt his heart tighten.

"I'm Stephanie, her daughter." There was just something about him that made her feel comfortable. He was just like Peter.

_Daughter!?_ Alfred made his way quickly down the stairs and over to the Bat Computer to get a really good look at her. Young Stephanie did indeed look just like Selina. But her eyes weren't hazel. They were blue.

The same shade as Bruce's.

Recognition dawned on him. "How old are you, young lady?"

"12."

It all came together. She was Bruce's daughter. This explained the secretive Robin he's witness over the last few months. That meant that she had been most likely conceived before Bruce convinced Selina to leave Gotham to escape Joker's wrath. "Does he know?"

Stephanie was shocked at how sharp and quickly Agent A figured it all out.

"No," Dick answered for her. "Selina didn't want him to know. She didn't want his mission interrupted. So she's my secret. And Wally's. And Roy's and Kaldur's."

Alfred chuckled. All of the first protégés knew about her. But he also understood what Selina meant too. Bruce did tend to obsess with his missions, to the point of deafness to the rest of his life. But at the same time, he made time for Dick since the young boy came to live with them. So he understood before now. "And now?"

"How many Gotham villains would love to kill me to spite him?" she asked.

Alfred cringed. He knew the answer; _**ALL**_ of them. "I will not tell. But you two need to understand that this secret cannot be kept for long. He has every right to know."

"We know," they said at the same time.

"Done." Dick disconnected Steph's gauntlet and handed it off to his sister. Shadowcat placed it back on her arm, then pulled her mask back on.

Alfred then hugged her, which made her go stiff. "Do not be a stranger, Miss Stephanie."

"I'll try not to be," she promised.

"We better get back to the team." Robin got up. "Alfred, I'm gonna be late. Be asterous!" He leaped off the chair and landed perfectly on his feet 15 feet away.

Stephanie clapped her hands for him before running after him to the Zeta Tubes.

Alfred went back upstairs, humming as he went. He knew there was something between Selina and Bruce. No one could withstand Catwoman's charms.

Not even Batman.

**Watchtower**

**11:20pm**

While Red Arrow, Red Tornado and Black Canary tried to distract Vandel Savage, the team boarded the tower.

"RT did it. Wirelessly reprogrammed the sensors the moment he got here. Savage shouldn't know we're here."

"Then move out. Shadowcat, stay with the ship. If we need you, we'll call."

Stephanie glared at Kaldur for several seconds before sighing. "Fine." She watched the team leave to start saving the League. She waited until she no longer felt Miss Martian in her head. She turned in the opposite direction. "Like Hell I'm staying put." Shadowcat pulled up a map of Watchtower. She followed the map to where she felt Savage was at.

He was going to pay for going after her dad.

**11:27pm**

Shadowcat stayed to the shadows as she neared Vandel Savage. She hadn't run into any 'possessed' Justice Leaguers, and she thought she was home free.

A green beam of energy came at her. She jumped up to avoid it but it bounced off the closest wall and slammed her against the floor before returning to its owner.

Stephanie slowly pulled herself up. She tasted blood on her upper lip. She saw who it was that blind-sighted her.

Green Lantern. Jon Stewart.

"Ah, crap. I just _had_ to get a Lantern! Where's Plastic Man when I need him?" She pulled out two of her brother's bird-a-rangs and threw them, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She wasn't a match for any Green Lantern, let along the stronger of the two in the League.

GL put up a shield to block those bird-a-rangs. But Shadowcat already jumped up to tackle him as soon as he dropped the shield to the floor. They landed on the said floor hard. She then punched him in the jaw and heard the crack of bone.

Man, her hand hurt!

Jon Stewart raised his arm up to blast her but she grabbed his hand and pulled his ring off of him. Oh, he was pissed! He grabbed her throat with one hand while trying to reach for his ring.

Stephanie knew she'd have to endure some pain but this Green Lantern was too tough for her. She fisted the ring and punched him as hard as she could in the jaw, which knocked the Green Lantern out. She felt her hand break and she bit her lip to keep from screaming and alerting the rest of the team. She placed a "curro" tech on his neck and it was absorbed. She then stood up and pried open her broken hand to reveal his ring. She placed it back on his finger. "I'm sorry," she said to the unconscious her.

* * *

"Who is that!?" Klarion demanded.

"Catwoman's protégé. Impressive for one so young." Vandel Savage was grinning. He knew she was coming for him. He was prepared to take her on. "let her meet up. She will not survive."

Klarion grinned wickedly.

* * *

Shadowcat knew she was walking into a trap. She hadn't come across any more possessed Leaguers and even she knew something was wrong with that picture. Her hand continued to throb without mercy.

She came to an opened doorway and saw Black Canary, Red Arrow and Red Tornado hurt and out on the floor. Stephanie ran down the steps and came face-to-face with Savage and the Witch Boy. "So we meet again."

"Indeed. This is Klarion, an associate of mine."

"A Lord of Chaos, an associate? Seriously?" she taunted.

"Goody. My rep precedes me."

Savage chose that moment to attack. Stephanie meet and deflected each attack and struck back when an opening presented itself. Savage blocked her blows as well.

Klarion was bored watching the two. "Teekl, kill her," he yawned.

The Familiar cat leaped from her master's shoulder and ran at Stephanie, growing bigger and into her true form.

A quick jab to Savage's throat sent one villain back in time to avoid the first swipe of the cat's paws. Shadowcat didn't get lucky on the second swipe. Those claws from the evil Familiar caught her shoulder, ripping her costume there. "Teekl, sit and don't move!" she commanded.

The cat was forced to sit and obey the girl.

Both Klarion and Savage gawked in surprise.

Ignoring the pain, Stephanie readied herself for more. She had to. The team had to be nearly done by now.

"Free my cat! **_NOW_!"** Klarion's face turned demonic.

"Make me," came Shadowcat's defiance.

Klarion send red magical discs at her. She ran from them and they followed.

Shadowcat ran right at Savage, ready to give him a world of pain. Her nails became claws and he came at her with a fist. She lashed out with her claws and cut Vandel's fist to ribbons.

He was shocked.

So was Klarion that he forgot his red discs until they struck Savage.

Stephanie took advantage and kicked Savage in the balls. As he howled, she jumped up and kicked him in the head. She twisted her body, pulled out her final bird-a-rang and threw it at the laughing Klarion.

It nailed him due to his distraction and he lashed out at her.

Shadowcat got blasted back into the wall and she fell forward, unconsciously, to the floor.

"_ENOUGH!_" Savage cried to stop Klarion's laughter. He stood up. "Show me the progress the children are making."

Teekl was free the instant Stephanie was unconscious. She returned to normal as she rejoined her master.

Only Wonder Woman remained.

"Time to go."

"C'mon! We can take'em!"

"Yes, but in the process, you'll lose control. Perhaps even destroy this station. And whether or not they are in our thrall, the Light still needs the Justice League alive for phase 2."

"I _wouldn't_ lose control!" Teekl meowed to correct Klarion. "Okay, yeah, I'd bring the chaos." Klarion raised a hand and a red and black disc engulfed the three just as KF, Kaldur and some of the team showed up to stop them.

Aqualad was pissed, seeing the damage done. Then he saw Red Tornado, minus his arms and legs and kneeled before him.

"Congratulations, team." Then Robin and the others showed up. "You have won the day."

Then the computer announced the New Year.

Wally picked up Artemis into his arms. "I should have done this a long time ago."

"No kidding." Artemis told him before they kissed.

Zatanna pulled Robin to her and kissed him.

M'gann and Conner kissed.

Raquel kissed Kaldur on the cheek. "I'm liking this team more and more everyday."

"Human customs still elude me." Red Tornado gave the teens a few more minutes before clearing his mechanical throat. "I do not wish to ruin the moment but look toward the far wall."

They all just did that.

"SHADOWCAT!" cried Robin.

**Watchtower**

**January 1**

"Everything I thought I knew about myself was a lie. I'm not a hero or a sidekick. I'm a traitor. A pawn." The loathing in the clone's voice was palpable.

"Roy, it'll be al-"

"I'm not Roy! I don't know what I am. All I know is that I have to find the real Roy. I need to find Speedy."

"Guardian is already searching Cadmus."

"Something else is wrong," Kaldur said as Dinah and Oliver walked away with Roy-uh, cloned Roy.

"The League was under Savage's control for a little over a day," Robin told his leader. "We've accounted most of that time but these six were gone for 16 hours not accounted for."

"16 hours…What did we do?" Batman asked rhetorically.

"What now?" Kaldur asked after several minutes.

"Who is Shadowcat?" Batman asked. "Why is she in the med bay?"

"She helped his us when the League was sent after us," Kaldur explained. "I do not know why she left the safety of the Bioship."

"We should check on her." Wally was up and out of his chair in a second.

But Robin beat him to the door and down to the med bay. Kaldur and Wally were moments behind him.

Alone, Batman got up and stood before the window, looking out at the vastness of space. Selina's death still weighed on his mind. She had a protégé. He was rather surprised that she did. She said she worked better alone.

Then there was the strange behavior of Roy-well, the cloned Roy- Wally and Dick. And now Kaldur. The four of them were aware of something that he wasn't.

But he was going to find out Shadowcat's secrets.

As for her identity…well, he had his suspicions.

END OF SEASON 1

***Well, here it is! The last of season 1! I did change up about what happened to Green Lantern, Jon Stewart. I didn't like that we didn't see him fight at all. He's my fave GL so I changed that piece! This will be continued as soon as I do some research, which will take time! I want to thank everyone that has followed this fic! So everyone, Look for 'The SECRET Training: AU Season: the 5 Year Gap. ****


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